In The Employer of Choice Award 2024 organised by JobMarket, HSBC received ¡§Employer of Choice Award¡¨ and ¡§Greater Bay Area Outstanding Employer Award¡¨ for three years in a row, whilst also winning ¡§Outstanding Learning and Development Award¡¨ and ¡§Outstanding Diversity and Inclusion Award¡¨ for the second time. Kristy Cheng, Head of Human Resources at HSBC Hong Kong said it was an honour and a pleasure to have earned the four prestigious awards, describing them as an affirmation of the bank¡¦s successful human resources strategies. ¡§I¡¦d like to take this opportunity to thank our management, HR team and all our employees for their support.¡¨

As Cheng pointed out, HSBC has always kept pace with the times to advance innovation. As a leading employer in Hong Kong, it is committed to unlocking opportunities for its employees to fulfil their full potential in a dynamic and inclusive workplace. Seeking out different perspectives, the bank conducts an annual employee survey to understand employees¡¦ views and sentiments, making sure they feel heard.

¡§All major indexes clinched record highs in our employee survey last year, a full demonstration of our efforts in being an employer of choice. The survey results not only reflect employees¡¦ recognition of the company¡¦s strategy, leadership and culture, but also a testament of our commitment to talent development,¡¨ she said. Cheng held that valuing employee opinions is conducive to building a dynamic corporate culture, whilst also attracting and nurturing talent, boosting employee engagement, and ultimately fuelling organisational growth.

Serving the Community Philanthropic Efforts

Throughout its 160-year history in Hong Kong, HSBC has been fulfilling its corporate social responsibility through the establishment of The Hongkong Bank Foundation and a variety of philanthropic initiatives to support the underprivileged. The Foundation has been dedicating its resources towards creating positive change in our community by fostering social innovation, nurture of youth and sustainability. Employees are encouraged to participate in the Foundation¡¦s volunteer work to serve underprivileged communities. Whilst giving back to the community, volunteering also builds employee engagement and a sense of belonging.

¡§Organisational success isn¡¦t just about business achievements, but also contribution and responsibility to our society. Our values are manifested through our philanthropic efforts, which further boost employee cohesion and engagement.¡¨

Empowering Continuous Learning for Talent Development
Besides its philanthropic efforts, HSBC encourages its employees to take charge of their career by setting clear career development goals and seeking feedback. ¡§Apart from nurturing talent for junior roles, we offer a range of support to facilitate talent development and mobility at different levels within the organisation, including short-term assignments, tailored management training for people managers, leadership programmes for senior managers, and initiatives designed to support female leaders,¡¨ explained Cheng.

According to Cheng, HSBC fosters a ¡§Growth Mindset¡¨ culture in the workplace where employees are encouraged to pursue continuous learning. ¡§From HSBC University, employees are able to access over 20,000 courses and flexibly choose classes and modules of learning that fit their needs. They can also connect with mentors internally through HSBC Mentoring to support their career development.¡¨ In addition, the bank has launched a popular AI-enabled platform named ¡§Talent Marketplace¡¨ to facilitate skills development and exposure through projects and networking opportunities. The platform utilises AI to match individuals with personalised opportunities based on their profiles and interests.

Promoting a Dynamic and Inclusive Corporate Culture

In today¡¦s globalised business landscape, organisations are looking to build a dynamic and inclusive corporate culture. As an international organisation with close to 20,000 employees from over seventy nationalities, spanning various age groups and cultural backgrounds, HSBC champions inclusivity by sponsoring eight employee-led ¡§Employee Resource Groups¡¨(¡§ERGs¡¨) to foster inclusion with a wide range of initiatives. With the support of the bank¡¦s management, these ERGs collectively boast over 5,000 members and have delivered 165 initiatives in 2024.

¡§We¡¦re dedicated to creating an environment that drives employee engagement. With comprehensive policies, guidance and training in place, we strive to ensure that all colleagues thrive in a dynamic inclusive workplace where they feel valued, supported and engaged.¡¨

Prioritising Employee Wellbeing for a Good Work-Life Balance

Supporting holistic wellbeing for all its employee is a top priority at HSBC. The bank adopts a hybrid working approach that allows employees to achieve a better work-life balance. In 2024, the bank enhanced the "personal/caregiving time" to four hours per month to enable employees to fulfill caregiving responsibilities or personal development in a flexible way. ¡§Caregiver Week¡¨ was also held last year to offer support to employees with caring responsibilities. Wayfoong Nursery School, located in close proximity to one of the Bank¡¦s offices, provides a convenient choice for working parents.

HSBC takes proactive steps to promote wellness by organising health talks, fitness classes, mental health consultations, and the annual ¡§Wellbeing Week¡¨ to provide timely health and wellbeing education to enable employees to practice self-care. Employees and their families are encouraged to use the two wellness apps ¡§Headspace¡¨ and ¡§Personify Health¡¨ for personalised health tips and health goal setting, which further enhance satisfaction holistically.

To improve employee experience in the office, office space is being upgraded to support employee wellbeing, productivity and teamwork. ¡§In 2024, we refurbished our fitness centre with all-round facilities, including activity rooms for regular wellness activities. There are also a game room and a lounge for employees to relax, recharge and connect.¡¨

¡§At HSBC, we value differences, respect diversity, and embrace different perspectives and the strengths of every colleague. We focused on maintaining a good work-life balance for our people and empowering them to take charge of their career path with robust policies and support. It¡¦s our belief that the above practices enable us to create an environment where our people can thrive and reach their full potential, and thereby better cater the needs of our customers and communities and better serve them,¡¨ Cheng concluded.