Hong Kong civil service chief urges more government departments to recruit staff all-year round to help tackle brain drain

Hong Kong's civil service leader, Ingrid Yeung, has urged government departments to recruit employees throughout the year to address the issue of many employees leaving, known as brain drain. Over 10,000 civil servants left their jobs last year, with about 5,800 retiring and nearly 4,000 resigning. However, Yeung mentioned that the departure of these employees hasn't significantly disrupted government operations. The government currently employs around 174,000 civil servants but has the capacity for 192,000, leaving 18,000 positions vacant. Yeung noted that the rate of resignations is decreasing and encouraged departments with ongoing staffing needs to recruit continuously. Presently, only a few roles, such as police officers and health department dentists, are open for recruitment year-round. Yeung suggested rehiring retired officers on a short-term basis to assist with continuous recruitment efforts. She also highlighted that the Civil Service Bureau has been working to streamline the hiring process, reducing the time to hire clerical staff from ten months to just three or four. Lawmaker Dennis Leung questioned whether there was a target for filling the numerous vacancies, pointing out that the current resignation rate is significantly higher than in 2008-09. Yeung recognized the increase but did not provide a specific timeline for filling all open positions. She mentioned that many employees resign during their probationary period, often seeking diverse work experiences. The government plans to retain talent through various training and exchange programs. Concerns were raised about attracting young talent, as the number of civil servants under 30 has been declining. Yeung attributed this to the trend of pursuing higher education. Labour sector representative Chau Siu-chung reported that frontline civil servants are experiencing increased workloads and pressure, often working overtime without extra pay. Yeung acknowledged the responsibility of public servants but admitted that the high number of vacancies is not ideal, emphasizing ongoing recruitment efforts to address the shortfall.