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Sales assistants serving customers in a jewellery shop

with three to four before. Sometimes way to improve the high turnover rate hours, retail workers should be al-
when a customer hails a waiter, the of the retail industry. lowed to rest for ten to fifteen min-
waiter might be busy serving others,” Tsoi also says employers should utes. Or they should be given chairs
he says. step up effort to improve working con- to sit for a while,” says Tsoi. “The gov-
Hong Kong is infamous for long ditions in the retail industry. He says ernment should legislate to make it
working hours and that could be an- arranging resting time for employees mandatory for employers to let work-
other reason behind poor customer is particularly important to let them ers take a rest after working for two to
service in the city. Tsoi says some recharge themselves. In 2003, the La- three hours.”
workers in the service industry may bour Department issued a guideline Tsoi adds that shoppers, especially
have to work 12 hours a day, from 10 encouraging employers to make suit- tourists, have a higher expectation of
a.m. to 11p.m., without any break. able rest break arrangement with their service quality nowadays. They do
“The working hour is long, and it employees through negotiation. But research about products they want
requires workers to stand for a long Tsoi says it is far from enough, as the to purchase and ask for information
time. These affect workers’ attitude guideline is not mandatory. from shop assistants. He reminds em-
and performance,” he says. “After standing for two or three ployers to deploy more resources to
Tsoi says sales assistants at shops
or boutiques in tourist areas are prone
to long working hours, making it even
more difficult for employers to recruit
and retain talents.
“Working in the retail industry
means low wage and heavy workload.
Employees are put under enormous
pressure... Young people cannot stand
it, so fewer people are willing to join
this industry,” Tsoi says.

Help Hong Kong smile again
In a bid to recruit more new blood,
Tsoi says shop owners should consid-
er giving workers a pay rise. He says A shop accredited by the Quality Tourism Services Scheme under the Hong Kong
a wage increase is the most effective Tourism Board