Life At Work Awards celebrates 10 years of promoting flexible, inclusive and sustainable workplace practices across Malaysian organisations
KUALA LUMPUR: The Life At Work Awards (LAWA) celebrates its tenth anniversary by continuing to complement Malaysia’s existing policies and labour laws in fostering a flexible, inclusive and sustainable workplace culture.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong stated that Malaysia already possesses a robust legal and policy framework including the Employment Act 1955 and various labour ordinances alongside established guidelines promoting best practices.
“LAWA serves as a form of recognition for companies and individuals who have successfully embraced these values and work cultures,” he said during the awards ceremony.
Organised by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, the 2025 edition received entries from 266 companies with over 700 nominations across 13 categories including three new ones.
Sim noted that the overwhelming participation especially from large corporations and government agencies reflects growing awareness that workplace wellbeing represents both social responsibility and economic necessity.
“The participation from these companies shows that flexible and inclusive practices are not only achievable but also profitable,” he emphasised.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia secured the Workplace Innovation Award for International Organisation or Public Listed Company while its Chief Human Resources Officer Reuben Rethinalingam was named CHRO Champion.
Reuben described the double victory as a proud milestone underscoring the company’s longstanding people-first strategy.
“Our people-first strategy ensures that employees remain our top priority,” he said while dedicating the recognition to the HR team and all employees.
He added that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s success stems from continuous investment in employee upskilling particularly in digital competencies and artificial intelligence readiness.
Sekolah Menengah Teknik Alor Setar won the Future Ready School award for its commitment to preparing STEM students for future careers through comprehensive programmes.
School counsellor Mohd Faruhi Johari said the school’s initiatives include mentorship programmes and career guidance via a Google Site platform for post-SPM pathway planning.
“This year, 99.6% of our students continued their studies after SPM thanks to the programmes we’ve implemented,” he shared.
Bank Negara Malaysia emerged as a top winner securing three major categories including Best Organisation for the Public Sector and Digital and Tech Excellence.
The central bank was recognised for its Digital Operations Platform integrating human resource, finance and procurement functions with AI-powered bots.
Its suite of bots including PolicyBOT and LegalBOT has improved operational efficiency by 40% while reducing administrative time by 30%.
LAWA 2025 also honoured organisations and individuals in categories covering Women at Work and Leadership, Employee Care and Well-being Champion, and Talent Sustainability.
Each winner received a certificate and trophy acknowledging their contribution to advancing progressive workplace practices across Malaysia. – Bernama
