Only about 10 per cent of workers outside the government sector in Hong Kong have benefited from flexible work arrangements, according to official figures, with some experts saying local companies have been slow to adopt such a policy over cost and productivity concerns.

Allen Cheung, who works in insurance and is in his late thirties, is among them, typically spending two days a week in the office for meetings and training sessions, then dedicating another three days to following up with customers or checking the latest market information.

“My schedule is not fixed, and I can arrange my own activities for each day. There is no clear boundary between work and life, and I enjoy this type of working mode,” he said.

Cheung said his industry was “performance-driven and client-centred.”

If clients travelled to Hong Kong to sign contracts, he needed to arrange his time around their schedules, even if it meant working weekends, so he could handle tasks such as picking them up from the airport or showing them around the city, he explained.

But if he had no meetings or client visits, Cheung said he could choose to take a break during weekdays, giving him time to enjoy activities such as reading books or going hiking.