9 Hong Kong Office Challenges

It’s great to have a job, of course, but it’s not always easy, given the complexities and bureaucracies of a typical Hong Kong office. Here are some Hong Kong office challenges that just throw us every time.

1. Crazy office temperatures. Turn on the air conditioner and it’s freezing in July. Turn it off, and you’re essentially sitting in a pot of boiling soup.

2. Sneaky social media tactics. How am I meant to get through the day without checking Instagram? But every time the boss walks by, she catches you on Facebook. But you didn’t notice the IT guy playing video games all day? C’mon!

3. Insane microwave lines. All of our lunch boxes contain rice or noodles. And we’ve all gotta use the microwave.

4. Smelly lunch boxes. That one co-worker whose lunch box always smells terrible. What TF did you put in that thing? No one can breathe, dude.

5. Tea takeout orders. Late afternoon, you’re craving milk tea (or bubble tea), so you organize a office-wide take-out order. It is IMPOSSIBLE to keep track of everyone’s specific tea requests: less sugar, no sugar, with condensed milk, small bubbles, big bubbles, less ice….

6. Changing the water tank. Can you lift it yourself? Should you try? What if it spills? If you wait long enough will someone else do it?

7. Toilet troubles. There are never enough stalls in the bathroom, which means you can’t poop in peace without somebody waiting outside.

8. Vague deadlines. “I know you’re busy, so just do it at your own pace!”

*Five minutes later*

“Having you finished that task yet?”

9. Window watchers. When you think you’re alone and completely lose your shit at your desk, and then look out the window to see someone in an office across the road has literally witnessed the entire thing.