Hong Kongers Hooked on Work
The top reason cited by employees pulling in extra time — according to over 1,600 human resource and finance professionals surveyed across Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand — was the need by to be available in case of an emergency at work.

But Singaporeans’ dedication to work may not be paying off, literally.

The findings revealed that 39 percent of Singapore employers gave no overtime payment for additional hours worked, which is slightly higher than the regional average of 33 percent.

“In light of the tight labor market… organizations would do well to promote good work-life balance practices and provide competitive remuneration that commensurate with their employees’ contributions,” said Tim Hird, MD of Robert Half Singapore and Japan.

While some employers are putting pressure on their staff to log-on when they’re on holiday, technological advances have many employees choosing to clear work while they are away, to reduce their workload when they get back to the office.

“Mobile technology has created a culture where employees are always connected to work, and many find it difficult to strike a balance,” said Andrew Brushfield, Director at Robert Half.

However, the attachment to work may not necessarily stem from the staff’s desire to work. Robert Half found that 97 percent of Hong Kong employers expect staff to be contactable while on annual leave or when out of the office. Singapore comes in second at 96 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum is New Zealand, where only 6 percent of employers claim they expect employees to constantly be available.

Robert Half says employers need to carve out a balance, to ensure a more productive workforce.

“Employers need to make sure that their employees get a proper holiday so that they come back to work refreshed and don’t burn out. Employers can do this by arranging proper hand overs when staff go on holiday, and limiting calls and emails to the person on leave,” Brushfield advised.