Flexible working options and employee wellbeing are top priorities for job seekers in Asia as they look to the new era of work, finds the new Uncovering the DNA of the Future Workplace in Asia report by leading recruitment experts Hays, which surveyed over 9,000 working professionals across Asia in February and again in September 2020. Respondents across Asia have dropped salary and benefit packages as their top priority and are instead looking at being part of an organisation that values employee wellbeing as not only a crucial element to flexibility, but purpose and connection to their role.

In Malaysia, these results are mirrored with flexible working options emerging as a top priority for professionals when seeking a new employer in the post-pandemic future, and employee wellbeing as the definition of purpose in the new era of work.

Flexible and remote working is key

Additionally, 75 per cent said employee wellbeing had become more important to them, but only 31 per cent of organisations currently offered this, indicating a large gap. This is even more apparent when we note that Malaysia scored the highest in the region in terms of deeming work-life balance as important/very important (96 per cent), as well as the highest percentage to say flexible working options (92 per cent) and remote working options (81 per cent) contributed to better work life balance. Respondents in Malaysia were also most willing to compromise on work-life balance for increased salary or benefits (67 per cent), indicating that the value they sought was more tangible than learning (42 per cent), job security (41 per cent) or feeling purpose and connection to their role (46 per cent).

Employee wellbeing builds purpose

94 per cent of respondents in Malaysia said that purpose or meaning played an important/very important role in motivating an employee. When asked what constituted meaningful work, the majority of respondents said ‘being part of an organisation that values employee wellbeing’ (78 per cent) followed by ‘opportunities to use specialised skills that are unique to you’ (72 per cent) and ‘being recognised and rewarded for your contributions’ (66 per cent).

In a region-wide trend, employee wellbeing is at the forefront of defining meaningful work, a rising sentiment that will likely take time to manifest in organisations. However, despite the anticipated acceleration of this after the pandemic took hold, it appears employers in Malaysia have much room for improvement. Only 41 per cent of respondents said they currently experienced being part of an organisation that values employee wellbeing. Similarly, when it comes to being recognised and rewarded, Malaysia’s organisations scored the lowest in Asia after Singapore (42 per cent). And while more organisations in Malaysia offered opportunities for workers to use specialised skillsets that are unique to them (40 per cent) than most other countries, this still makes for less than half of the total.

Tom Osborne, Managing Director for Hays Malaysia commented, “Malaysia’s workforce has long made a case for remote and flexible working, with many owing this sentiment to the long and often tedious commute to workplaces over large distances. That this opinion has only been exacerbated by the pandemic shows little doubt over what the workforce wants from a workplace of the future. With the acceleration of digital adoption, it may be difficult for respondents in Malaysia to imagine a workplace that does not offer flexible working hours, if not remote working entirely. The rising sentiment in favour of employee wellbeing is tied to flexibility, an important aspect of work life balance, and is unlikely to dissipate in an increasingly volatile world. A workplace of the future will recognise that employee wellbeing not only inspires purpose, but also protects its most important resources for progress and change – its people.”

About the Report 

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About Hays Malaysia

Agensi Pekerjaan Hays (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd ("Hays Malaysia") is one of the leading specialist recruitment companies in Malaysia in recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people across a wide range of industries and professions. We provide mid to senior level recruitment services across both finance and commerce industries. We have become known as the experts in sourcing regional and global candidates, as well as returning Malaysians.

Hays has been in Malaysia since 2012 and boasts a track record of success and growth, with two operating offices located in KLCC and Sunway. At Hays in Malaysia, we operate across the private and public sector, dealing in permanent positions in the following specialisms: Accountancy & Finance, Banking & Financial Services, Construction, Digital Technology, Engineering, Finance Technology, Human Resources, Information Technology, Insurance, Legal, Life Sciences, Manufacturing & Operations, Marketing & Digital, Procurement, Supply Chain and Sales.

About Hays

Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2020 the Group employed c.10,400 staff operating from 266 offices in 33 countries across 20 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2020:

• the Group reported net fees of £996.2 million and operating profit (pre-exceptional items) of £135.0 million;
• the Group placed around 66,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 235,000 people into temporary roles;
• 17% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 26% in Germany, 23% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 34% in Rest of World (RoW);
• the temporary placement business represented 59% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 41% of net fees;
• IT is the Group’s largest specialism, with 25% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%) and Construction & Property (12%), are the next largest
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the USA