PETALING JAYA: Randstad Malaysia’s latest Workmonitor survey has revealed that 49% of employees in Malaysia are likely to leave their jobs to start their own business. About 56% of respondents aged 25 to 34 years old shared this sentiment, compared with 28% for those 55 to 67 years old.
Randstad managing director for Malaysia and Singapore Jaya Dass said people tend to start their own business at an earlier age, due to fewer financial commitments and a more extensive future time perspective.
“With millennials shown to bring about numerous tech skills due to their affinity with the digital world, employers are facing increased pressure in finding ways to attract and retain these valued employees. It is hence critical for companies to keep pace with their employees’ expectations and ensure they are doing enough to maximise the positive employee experience.
“They can start by learning the employer branding factors that are important and attractive to millennials, and understanding what they want out of their careers. In doing so, employers can make small and incremental changes to attract more talent and improve retention,” she said in a statement today.
The survey also showed younger workers are more excited about the opportunities that being an entrepreneur would bring them. More than four in five Gen-Z (82%) and 76% of millennial respondents said that being an entrepreneur would give them more opportunities. On the contrary, even with the financial capability to do so, only 68% of those aged between 55 and 67 are keen on exploring entrepreneurship.
“The start-up ecosystem in Malaysia is highly integrated with schools, public organisations, private companies and communities. Even before students graduate, they would know of the opportunities that lie ahead of them if they were to pursue a career in entrepreneurship. These ecosystems allow people to easily connect with experts and investors, as well as safely experiment their products and services in a controlled environment in the real marketplace.
“If given the opportunity at the right time, we encourage younger workers to take advantage of them to gain new experiences and skills, such as people management and effective communications, that would be helpful in a corporate environment. These skills can help them stand out from the crowd, which would give our younger candidates the power of negotiation during a job interview,” Dass added.
Though 85% of respondents feel valued and appreciated in their jobs, one in four (25%) feel they are not being paid enough as compared to similar jobs in other companies. About 31% of younger respondents (aged 18-24) echoed the same.
Dass explained that in a rapidly evolving and uncertain climate, younger workers need to be more marketable by equipping themselves with relevant technical and soft skills that would allow them to distinguish themselves from other job seekers.
Graduates who have internship experiences or worked in part-time roles while they were studying are more prepared for the working environment, as they know how to navigate the workspace and engage with stakeholders. It can also help them discover and decide what type of employers and work they prefer to do.
