Findings of a survey released yesterday show a rise in Macau employees’ overall confidence compared to last year, but also a decrease in their overall confidence and satisfaction compared to that of the pre-pandemic year 2019, the Institute for Sustainable Development, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) announced yesterday.

The findings of the survey were released at a press conference at MUST yesterday, addressed by MUST School of Business Prof. Sun Liyun and its Institute for Sustainable Development Director Liu Cheng Kun.

The survey was conducted between March 24 and April 1, with 807 full-time employees in Macau interviewed for the questionnaire.

The annual survey was first published in 2007 and has been published 16 times since then.

The findings showed that on a scale of 1 to 5, Macau employees’ overall confidence index stood at 2.91 with an 8.37 percent increase year on year, while their satisfaction index stood at 2.99 with a 6.43 percent year-on-year rise.

However, compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, Macau employees’ overall confidence index has dropped by 2.5 percent, and their satisfaction index dropped by 2.6 percent, the findings showed.

The findings pointed out that the drop was mainly due to the employees’ confidence in the Macau job market, which logged a decrease of 10.4 percent, while the employees’ confidence in their own companies and in individuals were in line with those of 2019, increasing slightly by 3 and 0.8 percent respectively.

The survey reflects the fact that confidence in the Macau job market has not yet fully recovered, and as Macau’s economy continues to improve, employees’ confidence in Macau’s job market is expected to be further enhanced, according to the findings presented at the on-campus press conference.

The findings also show that the decline in Macau employees’ overall satisfaction is mainly reflected in a 4.1 percent and 11 percent decline in job quality and job stability respectively, while their satisfaction with job-related compensation and benefits as well as personal development has levelled off, rising by 4 percent and 2.6 percent respectively.

Moreover, Prof. Sun pointed out, the findings show that the negative impact of the pandemic on job satisfaction and job stability has not yet been fully eliminated. However, the human resources professor said he believed that as Macau’s economy continues to improve, the related satisfaction index will also improve.

Prof. Sun suggested that companies should continue to provide staff training, learning and opportunities to develop employees’ personal abilities, as the findings show that employees then feel encouraged by their supervisors or management to come up with new suggestions and feel satisfied with their relationship with them.

He also suggested that companies should seek to diversify their development strategies and make use of Macau’s unique history and culture to develop Macau’s cultural and creative industries as a distinctive industry driving cultural and local economic development. 

Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) School of Business Prof. Sun Liyun (centre), Institute for Sustainable Development Director Liu Cheng Kun (right) and Chief Administrator Se Chun Weng look on during yesterday’s on-campus press conference about the latest Macao Employee Confidence and Satisfaction Index at the private university’s Institute for Sustainable Development in Taipa yesterday. – Photo by MUST