Half of employees in Malaysia looking to jump ship

Malaysia has the highest percentage in Asia for employment demand with 52% of professionals actively looking for new jobs, according to the latest Hays Asia Salary Guide report.

Higher salary, management and company culture, as well as lack of training or development opportunities are the main reasons for Malaysian employees wanting to jump ship.

Malaysians are also the most open to overseas job opportunities with 77% of respondents indicating their interest, compared to 65% for the rest of Asia.

Meanwhile, 69% of Malaysians remained confident that their skills would still be in demand five years from now, coming in second after Japan (72%).

Hays Malaysia Managing Director Tom Osborne said while 2019 was a challenging year for global economies, Malaysia had stayed resilient through re-industrialisation and rapid digitalisation.

“The results show that while employee retainment may be an ongoing workforce issue, the solutions lie in fostering positive workplaces, as well as flexible working options,” he added.