Month: October 2022

SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT IN MALAYSIA: WHAT DRIVES WORKERS BESIDES SALARY?

Post author By admin
Post date October 28, 2022
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It was reported earlier this month that 66 percent of Malaysian knowledge workers have a secondary source of income. In addition, Malaysian knowledge workers have a clear preference for working remotely, specifically in a hybrid model; enjoying the benefits of both worlds. We should also examine the other factors that contribute to these phenomena, apart from easing their financial pressure:

Employees lack the necessary tools and learning opportunities to develop and upskill

Many knowledge workers are frustrated by the lack of advancement opportunities in Malaysian companies. There may be a lack of investment by employers in their employees’ futures. Training and developmentS programmes are lacking in approximately 60% of Malaysian companies. Fewer than half of employers worldwide offer employees learning opportunities to advance in the workplace, according to a global survey. Surprisingly, employers don’t invest in their employee’s growth and development. The retention rate of employees in companies that provide training and development opportunities is higher. Having a structured learning and development programme is a great opportunity for Malaysian employers to retain and keep their best employees.

Workers believe it is difficult to find a well-paying and advancement-oriented job

The career opportunities for employees who have been employed by the same company for several years may be limited. This is common in Malaysian companies, especially among middle-management employees. Several factors may contribute to the lack of growth and advancement opportunities. Some of these are:

A lack of leadership and vision from the management;
Employees are unable to develop the necessary soft skills and technical skills to move up in the organisation;
A lack of demonstrated competence among employees, especially when many qualified candidates are vying for the same position; and
An inability for employees to build good relationships with people who can promote them within the company.

Workers feel little sense of accomplishment at their current jobs because they have little control over what they do

It has been found that higher job satisfaction is associated with greater control over one’s work. In Malaysia, about 60% of employees say they have little control over their work assignments. The management style of managers may result in a lack of employee control over their work assignments. As a result, employees have little opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills; resulting in them feeling that work is unimportant.

The majority of Malaysian may have degrees or certifications that cannot easily be transferred to other sectors or jobs

According to UNESCO, Malaysia has one of the highest adult literacy rates in the world. Malaysia’s economy benefits from this, as it means employers can draw from a large pool of potential employees. However, while Malaysian workers may have high levels of education, their skills may not be easily transferrable. Employees with degrees in education or biology, for example, could have difficulty transferring their skills to tech or engineering jobs.

Side gigs provide workers with new skills, enhance their resumes, and make them more confident about finding better-paying jobs in the future

Many Malaysian workers take up side gigs to gain new skills and build up their resumes. This is especially the case with younger workers who are currently employed full-time in their main jobs. Most side gigs allow workers to use the skills they already have but in different or novel ways. This can help them to broaden their skill set and feel more confident in searching for better-paying jobs down the road.

In conclusion: Malaysian employers must learn to value and invest in their employees.

If Malaysian employers want to retain their employees, they must value and invest in them. Providing employees with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their jobs means providing them with opportunities for growth and advancement. Employers can accomplish this by implementing the following strategies:

Hiring the right people.
Understanding the skills and expertise you need for your company will help you attract the right candidates;
Establishing a culture of continuous learning and development.
Providing your employees with opportunities to learn and develop will help them advance professionally and provide them with a sense of purpose;
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
You can reduce stress and burnout for your employees by proactively managing their work-life balance.

Blog

Elections: Its Impact On Employment In Malaysia

Post author By admin
Post date October 21, 2022
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In Malaysia, general elections are held every five years. Even though the 14th Parliament expires on 16 July 2023, five years after it began meeting on 16 July 2018, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong dissolved the legislature on 10 October 2022 at the request of the incumbent Prime Minister, as announced later that day by the Prime Minister. Constitutionally, the general elections must be held in 60 days, making 9 December 2022 the last possible election date.

It’s often said that the right to vote is our right to speak, and elections are about choosing the party that best represents our interests. So, does the outcome of national elections have any impact on employment? If so, does voting directly affect hiring and firing in the economy? Or is there more to it than that?

In this article, we explore how elections can impact employment positively or negatively.

What Is Employment And Why Is It Important?

Employment occurs when people are paid to do work that helps society function: businesses can produce goods and services and earn profits, which they use to remunerate their employees. A person who is employed contributes to the economy, builds skills, earns money, and becomes a tax-paying member of society. Employment is vital because it allows people to earn a living and contribute to society. Thus, understanding the employment-election relationship is crucial.

Election Cycle and Employment

Every few years, elections take place and are a lengthy process. Elections can be general or by-elections, and local or national. Depending on the type, they may be called when the sitting government loses the majority of seats in Parliament. In addition, they may be called when the people need to decide whom they want to lead the country.

In the months leading up to an election, speculation about its impact on the economy and employment is common. Elections do not affect employment immediately, however. After all, an election is a decision-making process that happens every few years. Hiring managers, on the other hand, make daily decisions about the composition of the workforce.

Elections and Employment: A Causal Relationship?

Election results have a direct impact on the strength of the economy: if one party wins and another loses, the sharing of power affects what policies are enacted. By extension, these policies will have a direct impact on the strength of an economy, which will in turn affect employment.

For example, if a government chooses to reduce tax rates, this is likely to increase investment in the economy and improve productivity, which in turn leads to more jobs. If, on the other hand, a government decides to increase taxes, this negatively impacts the number of money people have to spend and invest. This can slow economic growth and lead to fewer jobs.

Election results also have an indirect impact on employment by influencing the health of the economy: if people are optimistic about the future and feel confident in their country’s economy, they’re more likely to invest in the economy and open or expand businesses. This creates more jobs.

Conclusion

In Malaysia and globally, unemployment levels are never static, and there are highs and lows. If the economy slows or moves into a recession, hiring plans also slow down, and some companies even consider layoffs. It is still possible to hire in a down economy, but spending and hiring are scrutinised more closely.

It is more likely that business leaders will make decisions to spur company growth when they are confident in the political system and the economy. Conversely, if key decision-makers are less confident, they may be less likely to invest and spend, which certainly affects future hiring plans.

In the new normal, hiring will continue across many industries, and companies must remain competitive for talent. For companies to compete for a larger share of the available talent, they must provide candidates with an easier, streamlined, and time-efficient hiring process. Boosting talent acquisition competitiveness requires organisations to consider the following solutions:

The importance of employer branding:
Employers can showcase their culture, people, and job opportunities through social media and career networking sites.
Streamlining the application and interview processes:
Shorter interview processes and easy-to-complete applications will keep candidates interested.
An efficient candidate screening process:
Fast, high-quality background checks enable the hiring process to be completed promptly.

Initially, it may seem that the election result will have a direct impact on hiring. After all, if a party is voted into power, it will be able to enact its policies, including hiring and firing. The opposite is true. Although the election may change some policies and abandon others, it doesn’t directly affect employment.

Human Resource

The Human Side of HR: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters

Post author By admin
Post date October 14, 2022
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Today’s HR pros deal with a lot more than just benefits and hiring. The role of the human resource manager is always evolving as companies develop new ways to support employees, customers, and partners. HR professionals need an arsenal of skills to handle all that responsibility. Thankfully, research has revealed how we can make the human side of HR even better by focusing on emotional intelligence. Read on for an introduction to this topic and why it’s so important for today’s HR leaders.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and use emotions to your advantage in all aspects of life. It’s not simply about understanding your feelings, but also reading others’ emotions and responding appropriately.

People who are high in emotional intelligence are also known as empaths because they can get inside other people’s heads and feelings. Emotional intelligence is about managing feelings, not repressing them.

So, a person with high emotional intelligence can recognize when they’re feeling stressed, frustrated, or bored. They’ll know why they’re feeling this way, and they’ll be able to manage those emotions constructively.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence So Important for HR?

HR’s job is to bring out people’s best side. To do this, you must be able to recognise people’s emotions and understand how they’re affecting their work. That’s where emotional intelligence comes in.

You can’t respond to your people’s emotions unless you understand what they’re feeling. You’ll also need to recognize and manage your own emotions, so you don’t project your feelings onto your employees.

Fortunately, emotional intelligence can help with both of these things. If you’re able to recognise and manage your emotions, you’ll be less likely to let them affect your interactions with others. And if you can recognize your employees’ feelings, you’ll be better equipped to support them.

Ways to Develop Your Employees’ Emotional Intelligence

The best way to develop emotional intelligence is by practicing awareness. If you become more aware of your own emotions and those of others, it will be easier to respond to them helpfully. Here are a few ways to develop your emotional intelligence:

Observe how others respond to situations:
Notice how your colleagues, customers, and partners react to different situations. Are they more likely to remain calm or become upset?
Practice self-awareness:
As you go through your day, ask yourself how you’re feeling. Are you feeling stressed or happy? Becoming aware of your emotions is the first step toward constructively managing them.
Speak to others with empathy:
When you’re communicating with people, try to get inside their heads. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how they’d respond to what you’re saying.
Set aside time for reflection:
At the end of each day, take a few minutes to reflect on your emotions and the emotions of others. What was the best part of your day? What was the worst? What can you do to improve things tomorrow?

3 Tips for Developing Your Emotional Intelligence

If you want to become a better HR leader, you’ll need to sharpen your emotional intelligence skills. Here are a few tips to get started:

Practice mindfulness:
If you want to become more aware of your own emotions, you need to be mindful. If you’re constantly rushing around, it’s hard to pay attention to your feelings. So, take a few minutes each day to slow down and tune into what’s going on inside you.
Get to know your team:
If you’re going to help your employees find the best way forward, you need to know them well. This includes knowing what makes them tick and what makes them anxious. If you know someone is stressed out about their workload, you can help lighten their load.
Practice gratitude:
Positive emotions, such as gratitude, help us achieve more and be more empathetic. If you want to become a better HR leader, you need to be focused on the positive things in your life. By focusing on the gratitude in your life, you’ll be better equipped to help others achieve their goals.

Conclusion

HR professionals deal with a wide range of people, from employees to customers to partners. To best support these individuals, it’s crucial to understand their emotions. Fortunately, research shows that the best way to achieve this is to focus on emotional intelligence. The more you can understand your team members, the more likely you are to be able to help them achieve their goals.

Professional Development

Redefining The Role Of HR To Meet The Demands Of A New Workforce And Way Of Work

Post author By admin
Post date October 7, 2022
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The past few years have seen HR leaders dealing with various challenges. It could not have been easy, given how rapid the changes could be within organisations, particularly during an unprecedented pandemic.

From navigating the multiple Movement Control Order (MCOs); deciding on working arrangements; adapting to digitalisation and new HR management system, and dealing with the challenges of talent retention amid employees’ concerns; to burnout from ensuring that the levels of productivity stay constant, HR’s role has grown, and the need for HR’s expertise and leadership has never been greater.

HR now needs to support the future of work, emphasising the “human” element. To do this, here are some things that could be key to redefining the role of HR.

Prioritising employee wellbeing

Workplace “perks” used to be dominated by fun, quirky things like free-flow snacks, nap pods, game rooms, bean bags, and casual Fridays – but the pandemic has changed this.

It has sparked the move to ensure that employee well-being takes top priority, and the current war for talent sees companies stepping up their game regarding employee benefits. Wellbeing programmes should also be more holistic, incorporating not only physical and mental health but also emotional health, career development, financial planning, and team building, among others.

2. Help employees find their purposes within organisations

Some employees can be unclear about their purposes in the workplace, and this is especially true with those who joined during the pandemic, who might have minimal face time with their managers and team members. As a result, they put more emphasis on the more tangible aspects of their career – promotions, pay raises, and recognitions, which admittedly are extremely important.

However, with a lack of purpose, employees can feel like they are doing meaningless work, impacting their motivation and productivity. HR’s role in this is to help them find their purpose. Communicate and let employees know the goals of your organisation and how they are contributing to that.

3. Deep diving into technology

Some HR professionals are hesitant to adopt new technology, and this could be due to several reasons such as feeling unsure of how it will actually function within their organisation, or they might fear that technology will render their role obsolete, or it is simply the case of not being technologically savvy.

Change can be scary, however, technology and new inventions in HR are something that should be welcomed. A lot of HR processes can now be automated and the time that is not spent drafting reports and checking leave forms and applications manually give HR leaders more time to focus on what is important. They can finally focus on the bigger picture – the need for a “new” workforce and way of work.