The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce yesterday called on the government to launch labor measures targeting junior-middle level workers as almost two in three companies in the SAR are suffering from ongoing talent shortage, according to its latest survey.

The chamber surveyed 196 companies in April this year, and 74 percent of the respondents said they were wrestling with a shortage of talent, 61 percent of whom have been suffering from it for one to three years.

The survey also revealed that the biggest shortfall in talent was for junior-level management.

Four-fifth of the respondents said the main reason for the outflow of talent was for higher pay, followed by emigration (70 percent), and half of them indicated that staff wanted a better work-life balance.

To address the loss of talent, 83 percent of the companies interviewed have resorted to offering better remuneration packages, and 58 percent of them provided training to employees aimed to keep them engaged and unleash their potential.

In addition, 49 percent of the respondents invested in automation to reduce the company's reliance on manpower, while 21 percent said they had relocated part or all of their operations out of Hong Kong.

Regarding the short-term measures for alleviating manpower shortages, recruiting talent from the Greater Bay Area was deemed the top option with 44 percent of respondents saying a wider and simplified criteria for talent schemes would attract more non-local to Hong Kong.

Education, targeted education and training initiatives was the top long-term measure to assist companies to retain, retrain and attract talent.

CEO of the chamber George Leung Siu-kay, urged the authorities to introduce labor measures targeting junior-middle level workers.

"The top talent pass scheme boosted the import of top talents, but it was insufficient to solve the problem of junior-level management shortage as well as that of frontline staff," he said.

Meanwhile, the Customs and Excise Department started to recruit university undergraduates as inspectors, and the application deadline for the inspector recruitment will be extended by two weeks to June 19.

According to the entry requirements, undergraduate students graduating in 2023, 2024 or 2025, which include current year 3 and 4 students, may apply if they have met the language proficiency requirements.

Successful candidates who pass the assessment will be granted a conditional offer and can join the department upon graduation, within the year in 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively.

George Leung

Chamber calls for action as talent shortage bites