‘1 in 2 Malaysians will quit if no career growth path’

KUALA LUMPUR: One in two Malaysians are ready to move on from their current jobs if there is a lack of opportunities for career advancement, according to Randstad Malaysia’s Workmonitor Research.

This mirrored an equal proportion who harboured worries about job security, particularly notable among Generation Z (Gen Z, 59 per cent) and millennials (57 per cent) amid the shifting economic conditions.

More than one in three of the 517 respondents said they would quit their jobs if they were not offered any opportunities to future-proof their skills.

Notably, a significant 43 per cent of Gen Zers would consider leaving a job that did not offer upskilling opportunities, while only 15 per cent of baby boomers would take such action.

In response to the changing economic landscape, about 40 per cent of the respondents have either taken on or are contemplating second jobs to manage the rising cost of living.

The Workmonitor Research report also indicated that 55 per cent of respondents were willing to stay in roles they found fulfilling, even in the absence of avenues for career progression.

Moreover, two in five respondents expressed satisfaction with their current situation and lacked the desire for career advancement, with Gen Z (44 per cent) and millennials (43 per cent) being the most prevalent in this mindset.

The five most important factors when thinking about current or future employment are work-life balance (94 per cent) and salary (94 per cent), health insurance and healthcare benefits (90 per cent), working hours flexibility (89 per cent), job security (88 per cent), and mental health support (87 per cent).

“While Malaysians are ambitious to seek higher salaries and more prestigious job titles, they balance it with finding employers who can offer a positive experience,” Randstad Malaysia country director Fahad Naeem.

“Being able to secure a stable worklife balance, having their physical and mental health taken care of by employers, and having the opportunity to upskill could sometimes be more important than doing the same job for a higher salary.”

In Malaysia, 73 per cent of the respondents perceived themselves as ambitious, or 17 per cent higher than the global average. Conversely, 12 per cent expressed disinterest in taking on managerial roles.

Nevertheless, the research emphasised that a lack of enthusiasm for career progression didn’t diminish the desire for selfimprovement.

More than 81 per cent of respondents said they prioritised training and development opportunities when evaluating their current and future employers.

Naeem said the labour marketplace in Malaysia had evolved from being a transactional one to an employer’s ability to meet individualistic talent motivations and aspirations.

“Companies must prioritise effective communication to understand specific needs like flexibility, career advancement, or training opportunities.

“Adopting a ‘talent-first’ approach to addressing personalised employee goals helps businesses differentiate and succeed in the competitive world of work,” he added.