THE COVID-19 pandemic has caused employees in Malaysia to reassess their priorities and for 50% of Malaysians surveyed, their career is no longer one of such priorities.
Human resources, payroll and benefits platform Employment Hero in its new research found that with 58% of Malaysian employees stating that they suffer from burnout and 51% stating that they have an average or even poor work-life balance, employers can play a much bigger role in employee wellbeing in order to maintain and attract talent.
Burnout can be triggered by a combination of different factors and among the Malaysian workforce the pandemic’s impact on their jobs as well as their mental health seem to be the key drivers.
According to the Employee Wellness Report which polled over 1,000 Malaysian employees, as many as 51% of employees said that the pandemic has negatively impacted their career progression.
The research also indicated that 67% of Malaysian employees are stressed about their finances.
Fortunately, Malaysian employers are starting to take steps to address burnout and offer greater mental health support with 50% of employees agreeing that their company is very supportive of employees’ mental health.
Despite this it was also revealed that 50% of employees are uncomfortable discussing mental health issues in the workplace and 49% of employees are concerned that reporting mental health issues would lead to repercussions in the workplace.
“The past couple of years have been eye-opening for a lot of us so it’s unsurprising that at large priorities have changed for many,” commented Employment Hero chief executive officer and co-founder Ben Thompson.
“The need for greater work-life balance was already clear before the pandemic, but with many employees feeling the aftermath of these tumultuous years in the forms of mental health issues and burnout, the workplace needs to adapt in order to create a working environment that is able to retain and attract top talent.”
Thompson further pointed out that from the Employee Wellness Report it was clear that employees are seeking mental health support, balance and education, and that employers must step up and offer the right resources to create a happy and productive workforce.
“By taking small steps in the right direction such as increasing mental health support budgets, prioritising financial education, and implementing remote working practices that enable a greater work-life balance, employers can quickly pivot towards the kind of people-first approach that employees will truly be able to appreciate,” he added.
“Ultimately, workers will stay with companies that support them, and leave the ones that don’t, so in order to retain top-tier talent and foster a successful workforce, it’s critical for employers to take these demands to take action where it’s most needed.”
The report also revealed that as a result of their financial worries, 29% of employees are looking for additional jobs, 25% of employees have lost their motivation and 25% are looking for a better-paying job while 22% of employees experienced a drop in productivity. – May 12, 2022
