Talent & Tech Asia Summit 2024
human resources online

Hongkongers share the worst excuses to quit a job

New hires quitting after a few days or candidates rejecting a job offer are some of the toughest things employers have to deal with.

While it is not unusual for newcomers to quit less than a week into the job because they got a better offer, some of the reasons why employees quit can be quite puzzling, according to a blog post on Hong Kong Discussion Group.

The writer of the post who claims to be a middle manager at a trading company said he had a lot of trouble filling an accounting clerk opening. On two occasions, he had newcomers saying they wanted out, less than one week into the job. And here are their reasons for leaving.

One of the new hires said the computer system of the company is not user-friendly. But what kind of accounting clerk doesn't know how to work with computers?

The other said the air-conditioning in the office is too cold, making him feel sick. Clearly, he was just looking for an excuse, and could have complained about the lights or toilet. He just really wanted to go.

If these reasons are not strange enough, a respondent to the post shared his experience interviewing twin sisters for an opening at a school. He offered one of them the job because her qualifications fit in nicely, but she insisted the school also had to hire her sister. There was only one opening so the request was denied, and as a result, the candidate turned down the offer.

It is really unlucky for bosses to have to deal with these unpredictable employees, but sometimes employers only have themselves to blame for being unable to attract talent.

For example, a candidate shared in an online post the hiring manager threatened to blacklist him if he refused to commit to the company long-term.

"I was interviewing for a job at a food retailer. The hiring manager said the company is well-connected in Hong Kong. He told me if I quit after a short while, I would not be able to find a job in the city, because he would put me on the company's blacklist and share it with industry peers," the post read.

ALSO READ: 13 signs someone is about to quit

Photo/ 123RF

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!

Related topics

Related articles

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top Human Resources stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's Human Resources development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window