Asia Pacific Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024

Helping workers adapt to change in an age of transformation

• Insight
• 6 minute read
• June 25, 2024

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Change is constant, accelerating and evoking feelings of both optimism and uncertainty. This is a central finding from this year’s Hopes and Fears survey of 19,500 workers in 14 territories across Asia Pacific.

The reported volume and pace of change is no great surprise. According to this year’s Asia Pacific CEO survey, 97% of CEOs are actively taking steps to reinvent their businesses to ensure their viability. However, the employees’ reactions to these changes are mixed and revealing. It seems that the majority of employees (75%) are eager to adapt and embrace change, while a significant portion (59%) believe there is too much change happening at once, and half of the workforce doesn’t understand why anything needs to change at all.

The fact that change seems to be accelerating may add to the concern felt by many. More than two-thirds of employees (68%) say they have experienced more changes at work in the past year than in the 12 months prior.
 

Asia Pacific workers have mixed feeling about the pace and scale of changes in the last 12 months

Question: Question: Thinking about changes you have experienced in your role in the last 12 months, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements (Showing ‘agree’ only)
 75%74%66%68%59%55%50%PositiveNeutralNegativeI feel ready to adapt to new ways of workingI am excited about opportunities to learn and​grow in my roleRecent changes I have experienced make​me feel optimistic about the future of my​companyI have experienced more change in the last​year than I did the 12 months priorI feel like there is too much change​happening all at onceRecent changes I have experienced make​me feel concerned about my job securityI don’t understand why things need to​change; the former state was working fine

_{Base: Asia Pacific respondents who have experienced change in their role (19,500)}

When it comes to the type of change employees are experiencing at work, the top three are: use of new tools and technologies (48%), increased workload (46%) and changes in team structure and daily responsibilities (both 43%).

About 48% of Asia Pacific workers have had to learn new technology / tools and their workload has increased in the last year

Question: To what extent do the following statements describe changes you have experienced in your role, if any, in the last 12 months? (Showing only ‘to a large extent’ and ‘to a very large extent’ responses)
 48%46%43%43%39%39%I have had to learn to use new​tools/technologies in order to do my jobMy workload has significantly increasedMy daily responsibilities have changedThe structure of my team has changedThe nature of my role has changedThe way I collaborate with teammates has​changed

^{Base: All Asia Pacific respondents (19,500)}

Workers are more satisfied with their job compared to last year. A healthy 62% say they are satisfied, a 5% jump from last year and on par with global counterparts. But job satisfaction doesn’t necessarily mean employees will remain with their employer. It appears much of the workforce is eyeing other opportunities, with nearly a third (31%) saying they are likely to change employers in the next year. This is more than during ‘The Great Resignation’ in recent years (19%). This signals a shift in attitudes where professionals are discarding the “stay put” mentality and prioritising career growth.

More Asia Pacific employees state they are likely to change employer in the next 12 months than during the “Great Resignation”

Question: How likely are you to change employers in the next 12 months? (Showing only ‘very likely’ and ‘extremely likely’)
 19%28%31%202220232024

^{Base: All Asia Pacific respondents (19,500)}

For most employees, the decision to stay or leave a job hinges on their ability to develop their skills. 78% agree that learning opportunities influence their decision to switch jobs. 

While skills are seen as a currency to employees, they reported that they lack skills development opportunities. Only 57% feel they can fully showcase their skills and just 52% believe their employer supports future skill development through learning opportunities.

About half of Asia Pacific employers reported that they lack opportunities to demonstrate or learn new skills

Question: Regarding your current role, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
 59%56%48%35%44%22%22%22%20%22%10%10%15%18%17%5%6%8%13%9%4%4%6%14%7%Strongly/moderately disagreeSlightly disagreeNeither disagree or agreeSlightly agreeStrongly/moderately agreeMy current job duties align well with my skill​set and expertiseI have opportunities to demonstrate the full​breadth of my skills at workIt would be easy for me to get a new job that​uses my skillsI have skills that are not clear from my​qualifications, job history or job titlesThe skills my job requires will change​significantly in the next five years

^{Base: All Asia Pacific respondents (19,500)
Note: Percentages shown may not total 100 due to rounding}

The picture for employees over the last 12 months has changed. Leaders must take note. With rising employee leverage, the ongoing competition for skilled workers is likely to intensify. Strategies to retain and attract new talent will need to evolve. As it is famously said, ‘Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.’ How will employers respond?

Other key findings

• The outlook for job security is optimistic. 61% are extremely or very confident about the next 12 months, with one in four feeling extremely confident.
• Non-financial rewards are as crucial as pay. Employees rank financial reward (77%), fulfilment (69%), and flexibility (64%) their top job priorities.
• GenAI adoption in the workplace is limited – 70% have used it in the past year, but only 1 in 6 use it daily.
• Optimism in GenAI is growing, with over 80% of users believing it will enhance their skills, improve work quality, and boost creativity.
• Employees have higher expectations for their employers’ climate actions, with a significant 11% increase in agreement (compared to last year’s survey) that employers should reduce their environmental impact.

Explore how employers can respond to this dynamic environment

Download the Asia Pacific report

Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2024

Workers are ready for change. Are leaders ready to engage them?

Download the global report

75%74%66%68%59%55%50%PositiveNeutralNegativeI feel ready to adapt to new ways of workingI am excited about opportunities to learn and​grow in my roleRecent changes I have experienced make​me feel optimistic about the future of my​companyI have experienced more change in the last​year than I did the 12 months priorI feel like there is too much change​happening all at onceRecent changes I have experienced make​me feel concerned about my job securityI don’t understand why things need to​change; the former state was working fine