Malaysian employees are prioritising their life experiences over work.
In a recent talent trends survey, 50% of respondents in Malaysia said that they are not afraid to resign from their jobs if it prevents them from enjoying their personal life.
Randstad released the results of their latest 2022 Workmonitor survey in Malaysia. The bi-annual survey highlights the workforce’s latest sentiments and perceptions of the local job market.
The survey reported that 55% of Millennials, aged between 25 and 34 years old, would consider leaving their jobs if it does not allow them to enjoy their personal lives.
Employees from the millennial generation are often seen as the drivers of change in the world of work. When they entered the workforce, they changed the meaning and purpose of work, as well as the role of employers for other generations as well.
Over the years, millennials have changed traditional work habits, they are using smartphones to reply to emails while commuting and using text messages for work discussion instead of having face-to-face conversations. They are also the ones who started the trend to work from anywhere. Be it working from cafes or libraries, being able to choose their own working locations and time is much more flexible and appealing to millennials than being in the office from 9 to 6 from Monday to Friday.
With remote and hybrid work arrangements being the new normal adopted at workplaces, it’s important to employees to have the flexibility and the freedom to enjoy life outside of work.
why is work-life balance important to employees?
We spend more than one-third of our adult lives working, so it’s important to save some 'me-time' for ourselves.
Without having enough personal time, employees may start to feel unhappy or stressed at work, which can have a consequential impact on their personal relationships as they may find themselves complaining more about their jobs than spending quality time with their family and friends.
On the flip side, if employees are recognised by their colleagues for their efforts and have enough personal time to relax and have fun outside of work, they are more likely to achieve a healthier mental health status.
It is critical for employers to create a positive and supportive work environment as well as beneficial initiatives to let their employees have enough rest and room to grow, so that they can truly realise their true potential in their careers.
95 per cent of respondents said that it is important to have a good work-life balance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a great mindset change among many employees with regards to working arrangement, where many prefer more flexible working arrangement which allows them to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
1 in 3 respondents had resigned from their jobs before because of inflexibility, with this sentiment shared most by Millennials (37%).
Work-life balance is top-of-mind for many Malaysian workers, with at least 8 in 10 respondents saying that it is important that they would choose flexibility in terms of working hours (89%) and location (86%).
To further highlight the significance of work flexibility in Malaysia, 43% of respondents said that they will not accept a job if the company does not offer them the option to work remotely. 47% of respondents said that they would not accept a job if they are unable to choose when they want to work.
The survey highlighted how talent expectations have changed, and employers need to shift their mindsets and keep pace with the evolving work trends to offer an agile working arrangement to their employees to be able to retain them and position the company as an attractive place to work at.
flexible work benefits can attract more talent to the company
Companies that continue to offer a high work flexibility to their workforce are more capable of attracting and retaining talent who value autonomy in today’s candidate-short market.
The great-work-from-home experiment over the two years has helped many employees and business leaders realised that employees can be productive when working from home when they have the right tools and resources to do so. This is also considered as a desirable option for many as they get to save commuting time and cost and are more focused at home because of fewer distractions.
Employees also gain more responsibilities over their workload and deadlines when they are given the flexibility to plan it on their own. Working at their own pace enables workers to be equipped with better time management skills, as they are now able to plan their own time and activities around work.
download the latest H1 2022 workmonitor survey report
gain deeper insights into the malaysia workforce
The latest 2022 Randstad Workmonitor study was conducted between 21 February 2022 and 13 March 2022 with 750 locally based respondents who are employed and aged between 18 and 67 years old in Malaysia.
The Randstad Workmonitor survey is conducted twice a year to discover the changes in candidates’ expectations and challenges to help organisations like yours develop a talent attraction and an effective employee engagement strategy that works.
Get in touch with us if you’re looking to grow your workforce or to strengthen your employer brand. Alternatively, if you’re a job seeker, you can check the latest jobs in Malaysia for a new career opportunity.
about randstad workmonitor
The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003 and now covers 34 markets around the world. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. The study is conducted online among people aged 18–67, employed for at least 24 hours per week (minimum 90%) or sole trader or unemployed but considering looking for a job in the future. The Dynata panel is used for sampling purposes.
This survey was conducted in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.