PETALING JAYA: 62% of employers in Malaysia are confident about hiring skilled talent in 2022 despite most organisations undergoing restructuring to adapt to changes in the world of work, according to findings from the 2022 Hays Asia Salary Guide.
60% of employers who said their organisation is going through restructuring said it was due to changes in required skill sets while 58% attributed it to digital transformation.
Hays Malaysia managing director Tom Osborne said the growing confidence bodes well for the 50% of employers who said they intended to increase permanent headcount next year.
“However, with Covid-19 transforming workplaces and accelerating digitalisation, the skills gap that organisations are already experiencing could become more apparent,” he added.
Top reasons employers gave for skill shortages at their organisations included ‘higher compensation offered elsewhere”, “lack of learning and development opportunities to upskill current employees”, and “skills needed are too niche and hard to source in the current market”.
The top soft skills valued by employers in Malaysia were communication skills, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. This was consistent across Asia.
Top hard skills were analytical skills, technical skills, and management skills. Malaysia was the only country where management skills were given a strong emphasis.
When Malaysian professionals were asked about what they were doing to improve job prospects, 55% said they spent time on developing soft skills and 32% on developing hard skills. 13% also said they were getting higher or additional qualifications. Most reported spending one to two hours per week on skills development.
“It’s heartening to see that there is a strong sense of initiative among professionals in Malaysia to upskill. That said, candidates should prioritise skills that are valued by employers and which are relevant to the current market and world of work.
“Employers on the other hand should continue to invest in training and upskilling their staff. Not only does this maximise productivity, but it would also help in boosting employee retention,” said Osborne.
Now in its 15th edition, the Hays Asia Salary Guide compiles and presents salary and sector overviews based on real data and a survey of skilled professionals across China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Over 9,500 responses were collected between October to November 2021.
