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Results of Employee Development in Asia


EnFeat launched in November 2011 an informal survey on its website to acquire insights in how employees in the Electronics and Semiconductor industry feel about their personal development, the efforts their companies do and their opinion about the courses and development they received to date.

The survey started by inviting employees in Singapore with a request to invite others in the industry. Consequently, the number of Singapore participants is the largest group at 36%, representing almost half of all participants from South Asia (74%). Partakers of Taiwan and China combined are 22% and the rest of the world 4%. 

It is clear that Semiconductor and Electronics are still largely ‘a men’s world’: 79% of the partakers are male. Almost half (49%) of all participants is in the age group between 30 and 40 years old. 

Singapore and Malaysia observed most participants in leading positions: either ‘manager with subordinates’ or ‘director or higher’. From Singapore 58% of the partakers held a leading position and from Malaysia 54%. 

 Vietnam and China saw most participants in an ‘employee’ or ‘manager without subordinates’ role: 77% for Vietnam and 66% for China. This reflects that China and Vietnam employees in a sales or marketing function – the largest group in the survey – typically report to an overseas (HQ) manager.

Main Findings

  • Of the participants, 95% stated that training is important for their personal development.
  • Of all surveyed, 26% did not receive any hard skills training for the last 2 years or longer. Similarly, 36% did not receive any soft skills training for that same period.
  • How long ago it was that the participant received its last training, determines if employees are positive on the effort of the companies/boss do for their development. The longer ago, the more negative.
  • Employees do not perceive hard skills’ training as personal development or as an effort of the company/boss to develop the employee; this is especially the case for participants in sales and marketing.
  • Only 38% of the partakers agree with the statement ‘My boss coaches me’. Of ‘Director or higher’, 64% disagree with the statement. 57% of the group ‘Director or higher’ also agree with the statement: ‘My boss tells me what to do’.
  • Position and age plays a role in the request of industry specific courses: 86% of ‘directors or higher’ and 74% of the ‘older than 40’ agree that courses should be industry specific. 
  • 72% of marketing employees and 46% of sales say that there are insufficient courses available.
  • Singaporean's with 66% are the most likely to leave their company if they find another company doing more effort to develop its people.  81% (!) of the marketing participants and 61% of sales agree with this and at 39%, operations, customer support, purchasing and supply chain management are the 'least likely' to leave their job because of this.
  • Over half of the participants from Malaysia (54%) and China (55%) mention that training increases their chance on promotion. Singaporeans with 34% are the lowest to agree with that. 
  • Over half of the participants, 57%, say that ‘no budget’ is the main reason of not having training, followed by 31% 'No suitable course available’ and 22% ‘did not have time’.
For those that are interested in receiving the complete report (for free logically), please send an e-mail to info@enfeat.com. We will only entertain requests that contain full name, designation and company name. Alternatively you can visit our contact page.

It is also still possible to participate as we keep the survey open. Results will be frequently updated. Please visit the survey.

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