HONG KONG: Work Not 1997 Stresses Hong Kong People (1) An Inter Press Service Feature

HONG KONG, Nov 18 (IPS) - Hong Kong is known the world over as a shopper's paradise, but for those who hold jobs here, the tiny British colony is little else than a workplace from hell.

Indeed, new findings by the Associates for Research into the Science of Enjoyment (ARISE) -- a group of scientists and academics who study the quality of life -- say Hong Kong is the most stressful place to work in the world.

The research findings come as little surprise in frenetic, work-conscious Hong Kong which many describe as one of the world's most materialistic societies as its inhabitants put accumulating wealth ahead of anything else.

Coupled with worries over the transfer to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong five years ago was named the world's most stressful city in another study, putting it ahead of war-torn cities such as Ulster and Beirut.

But since then, some social scientists say Hong Kong people have become more relaxed about the approach of Chinese rule. This is borne out by the ARISE survey, which found that the handover was not the main cause of stress but day-to-day work.

"Three quarters of the people interviewed said 1997 was not a factor at all," said David Warburton of ARISE.

More than 5,000 office workers in 16 countries worldwide were interviewed, with nearly 30 percent of Hong Kong workers saying they were so stressed out by work that they needed time out to relax, compared to only five percent in Spain. Most of them deal with stress by going shopping, said the survey.

Two thirds of respondents said work was the main cause of their stress, with 70 percent of the colony's men and 64 percent of women complaining about stress at work.

Work-related stress was put far ahead that caused by personal relationships, financial worries and health. One in three Hong Kong workers admitted to taking time off work because of stress compared to one in five elsewhere in the world.

"The stress figure is significantly higher than the 54 percent global average for stress at work and is reflected in a number of deep-seated grievances among local office workers," said Warburton.

But other analysts say 1997 may well be a greater factor in work related stress than the ARISE study indicates.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service