The survey of 506 full-time employees in Hong Kong was conducted via the
TNS 6^thdimension™ access panel from 13^th to 16^th February 2007.

The study applied the TNS proprietary system, TRI*M Employee Commitment Manager, used by leading global organisations to measure and manage relationships with employees, customers and other stakeholders.

The latest annual Hong Kong Employee Study by global market information company TNS shows that while commitment levels of employees in Hong Kong have increased for the third consecutive year, with the TNS Employee Engagement Index rising from 27 in 2005 to 35 in 2007, employers in Hong Kong continue to face a challenge in motivating and retaining staff.

The importance of this observation is highlighted by the fact that almost one third (30%) of full-time Hong Kong workers had applied for a new position in the past six months, and that nearly half of those who received an offer accepted it!

• Multinational companies headquartered outside Hong Kong are more successful at nurturing staff loyalty, with an average TNS Employee Engagement Index of 38 compared with 34 for companies headquartered in Hong Kong.
• A worrying gap is observed between employee expectations and employer performance - with companies receiving relatively poor ratings from their staff across many areas that drive staff commitment.
• Most valued by local staff is "senior management considers employees' interests when making decisions" (considered important by 80% of Hong Kong workers). However, only 23% give their employers a positive rating in this area.
• Following closely in terms of contribution to job satisfaction is "my immediate manager is accessible to discuss questions and problems" - considered important by 79% of the workforce - whereas 32% think their employers are performing well in this area.
• The impact of other aspects on staff commitment and the performance of HK employers on these are shown below:

The study directly challenges the assumption held by many Hong Kong companies that pay is the most important means of motivating and maintaining staff; though factors related to remuneration do rank within the top ten drivers of employee commitment.

With Hong Kong's economy continuing to go from strength to strength, skilled and experienced staff have many opportunities open to them. In an environment where one in every three employees is actively looking for a new job and staff turnover is rapidly increasing, it is therefore incumbent upon employers to understand how best to motivate and retain staff.

As our study shows, what drives staff commitment more than anything else - more than work-life balance, or even pay - is the attitude of management toward employees. This encompasses both the top management, who must be perceived to empathize and care for staff, as well as line managers, who should be approachable, decisive and appreciative. Local companies should take note - management style makes all the difference in the world!