Conducted by global human resources consultancy Randstad, the “H1 2021 Workmonitor Survey in Malaysia” involved more than 400 Malaysians. It found that the 55% who said they intend to remain at their current place of work was the highest in the region by some margin.
Figures from mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore trailed at 37%, 34% and 33%, respectively.
“During this period of time, we have seen many firms implement strict workplace protocols and policies, as well as programmes to engage with and upskill their workers. These initiatives have given employees more reasons to stick by their employer through good and bad times,” said Fahad Naeem, head of operations at Randstad Malaysia.
“During this challenging time, employers should be present and show genuine concern for their employees’ welfare. Take the time to reach out to your employees not just for work, but also try to understand how they are dealing with the pandemic and provide necessary support to ensure their mental and physical well-being.”
The most common initiatives deployed by Malaysian employers since the start of the pandemic include setting strict safety protocols for remote and on-site work, policies to improve work-life balance and regular well-being surveys.
On work-life balance, 37% of local respondents who had been working from home said that this had been difficult to strike.
While 43% of the businesses surveyed had implemented some form of policy regarding working hours, 39% of employees said they still hoped more could be done in this area.
“Instead of waiting for cases to dip below a certain threshold to return to work, employers should implement long-term HR policies to adjust to the new way of work,” Fahad said.
“This would include developing a highly-integrated work-life balanced environment as well as new engagement opportunities and initiatives to help their employees ease into the new normal.
“To improve their employer brand reputation and perception, organisations can consider offering work-from-home allowances or online training programmes to upskill their employees.”