PERSOLKELLY, one of the leading human resource (HR) solutions companies in Asia Pacific has released its 2023 APAC Workforce Insights report titled, “How to Attract and Retain Top Talent by Cultivating a Happy Workplace”.
The report aims to address effective ways to tackle HR challenges in talent attraction and retention by prioritising factors that enhance employees’ job satisfaction.
The survey findings show that across Asia Pacific, only 36% of respondents believe that a well-paid job leads to happiness at work.
Across the region, employees place a higher priority on four other factors, before pay, in determining their happiness at work: A good work-life balance is ranked first (42%), followed by a safe and healthy environment (40%), good connection with co-workers (39%), and the ability to provide their family with better living conditions (38%).
On the local front, the report includes the key findings below for Malaysia:
- Overall, 98% of Malaysian respondents agree that work-life happiness is important.
- In Malaysia, 48% say that the ability to provide their family with better living conditions is the top factor affecting happiness at work.
- When asked about their current work-life satisfaction, 81% of respondents in Malaysia say that they are satisfied – making Malaysia fifth among the 12 markets surveyed.
- Similarly, 81% of respondents believe that their job plays a significant role in improving the lives of other people.
- In terms of the accessibility of job choices, 70% of individuals agree that there are sufficient job choices available.
- 40% believe that they are responsible for their work satisfaction, while the secondary and third drivers are their HR and direct managers – at 19% and 14% respectively.
- While 69% of respondents would proactively reach out to their managers to discuss their job motivation, 27% of them shared from experience that there were no changes even after the discussions.
PERSOLKELLY recommends that to enhance job fulfilment and retention, companies should consider offering flexible work arrangements for a better work-life balance, maintaining policies that enforce a safe and supportive work environment, introducing programmes that foster strong interpersonal connections among employees, and providing a competitive compensation.
Regular feedback, measurement of progress, recognition, and leadership support are also crucial factors in creating a happier and more engaged workforce.
“As the job landscape becomes more dynamic and competitive, leaders need to recognise the pivotal role of employee work-life satisfaction in driving not only their performance and growth as individuals but also for the organisation as a whole,” said Brian Sim, Managing Director and Country Head of PERSOLKELLY Malaysia.
“The needs and expectations of employees are evolving as we speak and today, employee happiness is critical. This aligns with our ‘Work and Smile’ culture at PERSOLKELLY. Recognising that working life is a journey of growth, we hope to enrich society so that all work leads to lives of happiness,” he said.
The 2023 APAC Workforce Insights survey involved 2,540 employees from a cross-section of industries in 12 markets across Asia Pacific, namely Malaysia, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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