The Human Resources and Business Support sector in Malaysia is projected to remain active in 2025, driven by the influx of companies establishing and expanding their operations.
Gain valuable insights into Malaysia’s dynamic job market directly from our experts, all captured in the 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary Guide. This digital report offers analysis of labour market trends, hiring patterns and salary benchmarks across key sectors in Malaysia.
companies look to human resources to build and manage their workforces in malaysia
As organisations expand their Shared Services in Malaysia, the demand for Human Resources and Business Support talent has increased significantly. Companies are not only creating new digital roles for HR analytics to support Shared Services companies but are also expanding their Shared Services to provide Payroll and Administration to their clients.
Additionally, companies from the region in the renewable energy sector are setting up operations and back office functions in Malaysia, which has further driven the demand for skilled HR and Business Support professionals.
Several global financial institutions have restructured their operations by relocating certain roles to Malaysia, and adding new positions to support offshore markets, as they seek to optimise costs while leveraging Malaysia's competitive advantages. This trend is also evident in other sectors, including professional services, FMCG, and manufacturing.
As a multilingual talent hub, the country is seeing a rise in demand for talent who are business proficient in both English and Mandarin. This is particularly important for supporting clients in mainland China and Hong Kong, in addition to other Southeast Asian markets.
higher demand for HR specialisations and commercial acumen
Employers are increasingly offering specialised roles within the Human Resources function, a trend expected to continue into 2025 as the industry becomes more focused and specialised.
Hiring HR specialists with the necessary technical skills can be challenging due to talent scarcity struggle to find However, the pursuit of specialisation within the HR industry can inspire career progression for existing professionals, fostering growth and enhancing their value in a competitive job market.
Companies are dedicated to upskilling their workforce to adapt to ongoing transformation and automation. Alongside leadership training, organisations are becoming more adept at identifying top performers for succession planning.
As a result, new job opportunities are arising in areas such as Organisational Design, Talent Management, and Learning and Development. There is a growing preference for certified professionals capable of replicating past successes.
However, some roles, such as Diversity and Inclusion Officers, are sunsetting as their responsibilities merge with Employee Relations and Employer Branding.
Employers are now prioritising candidates with strong commercial acumen and financial knowledge, particularly for senior positions that require strategic development and data analysis to ensure good outcomes.
In addition to technical skills, employers seek HR professionals with excellent communication abilities and stakeholder management skills. These professionals are expected to act as brand ambassadors to ensure good employee engagement for a more connected and happy workforce.
employers prioritise industry knowledge and soft skills
When hiring, employers place significant emphasis on cultural fit. HR professionals must not only integrate well within their teams but also collaborate effectively with employees to solve problems and improve their overall experience for a positive working environment.
We are also seeing more companies hire HR professionals in talent acquisition that are innovative and creative in their approach. For example, traditionally conservative industries are leveraging platforms like TikTok to showcase their employer brand and employee experiences, appealing to a younger demographic.
Despite a rich candidate market in HR and Business Support, employers often prefer talent from the same industry due to their foundational knowledge of specific requirements and processes.
While talent is abundant, partnering with recruitment firms can streamline the hiring process as we conduct preliminary interviews to shortlist ideal candidates or help headhunt specialised talent needed for organisational transformation.
download randstad malaysia’s 2025 job market and salary trends report
Discover the latest talent insights and salary benchmarks for human resources jobs, ranging from talent acquisition to learning and development, generalist HR to compensation and benefits and more, from our 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary guide.
The report examines key talent expectations as well as key sector trends and salary benchmarks in the following industries:
- accounting and finance
- construction and property
- legal
- manufacturing
- sales and marketing
- shared services
- technology
- contracting
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