Office workers are keen to upgrade their skills to enhance their competitiveness in the workplace in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, an industry survey revealed.

From 8,062 respondents, recruitment firm zhaopin.com found layoffs and salary cuts had become common.

Senior white-collar workers have been left with fewer job opportunities, while the younger generation tend to suffer salary cuts.

In the face of the uncertain economic environment, strengthening competitiveness has become the first priority of job applicants.

When asked about their career development expectations, more than half of the surveyed white-collar workers wanted to learn new skills to keep their jobs.

Workers in human resources showed the strongest desire to improve their skills in the workplace, accounting for more than half of respondents.

That was followed by workers in positions of finance and accounting, administration and sales.

Senior office workers have a clearer understanding of the importance of further learning and it is common for them to pay for professional training at their own expenses, the study noted.

During the epidemic, 44.8 percent of white-collar workers said they had participated in learning and training for self-improvement, with post-1970s workers far outnumbering the millenniums.