Hong Kong Workers Frustrated by Salary Disparity as New Hires Earn More Than Veterans
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A Hong Kong employee has sparked a heated online discussion after posting on the LIHKG forum about losing all motivation at work due to salary inequities. The worker discovered that a newly hired colleague earned several thousand Hong Kong dollars more, while a former coworker they deemed "capability-impaired" was making nearly double their salary after changing jobs. Despite having strong performance reviews and recommendation letters from previous supervisors, the poster claimed they could not secure better compensation even after providing salary references during interviews. The viral post resonated with many Hong Kong workers facing similar frustrations during the city's prolonged economic slowdown, with commenters advising the poster to stop taking work so seriously and instead focus on lateral moves to increase earnings.
Key Points
- A LIHKG forum user posted under the title "What reason made you completely lose motivation for work?" and shared their personal experience of salary-related disappointment
- The poster learned that a newly hired colleague earned several thousand Hong Kong dollars more, immediately cutting their motivation in half
- A former coworker whom the poster described as "capability is terrible" was earning nearly double their salary after switching jobs
- Despite having excellent performance reviews and recommendation letters from previous supervisors, the poster received only marginal increases when switching jobs
- Netizens advised the poster that "selling your soul to the company is useless" and recommended saving energy for job-hunting or planning after-work meals instead
Why It Matters
This viral post reflects a growing sentiment among Hong Kong's white-collar workforce during an extended period of economic stagnation, where traditional paths to salary growth through loyalty and performance appear increasingly ineffective. The phenomenon of "fish don't grow fat without changing ponds" has become a common refrain, suggesting that strategic job-hopping may be the most reliable method for salary advancement in the current market. Such discussions highlight the psychological toll of perceived pay inequity and raise questions about the future of employee engagement in Hong Kong's competitive job market.
This viral post reflects a growing sentiment among Hong Kong's white-collar workforce during an extended period of economic stagnation, where traditional paths to salary growth through loyalty and performance appear increasingly ineffective. The phenomenon of "fish don't grow fat without changing ponds" has become a common refrain, suggesting that strategic job-hopping may be the most reliable method for salary advancement in the current market. Such discussions highlight the psychological toll of perceived pay inequity and raise questions about the future of employee engagement in Hong Kong's competitive job market.