KUALA LUMPUR (July 13): The majority of Malaysians are generally satisfied with their job, according to PwC’s Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2022 (Malaysia report).

In the report, PwC said that overall, Malaysian respondents (59%) are satisfied with their job.

It said while the job satisfaction finding is certainly encouraging, one cannot ignore the fact that among the pool of respondents, 17% are extremely or very likely to switch to a new employer in the next 12 months.

PwC Malaysia deputy executive chair Nurul A'in Abdul Latif said it came as no surprise that pay is the top factor, what with rising inflation and the economic uncertainty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

But while pay definitely matters, it is not the only factor that will push employees to explore greener pastures.

“Job fulfilment matters too,” she said.

Elaborating on the survey findings, Nurul said 69% of respondents said pay is extremely or very important when they consider making a change in their work environment, while 66% said job fulfilment is extremely or very important when they consider making a change in their work environment.

Nurul said that when Malaysian respondents were asked how they would prefer to work 12 months from now, 63% said they would like a mix of remote and in-person work.

She said they appeared optimistic about their organisations’ work arrangement plans, with 60% expecting their employers to adopt hybrid work in the next 12 months.

“However, there’s a misalignment in expectations when it comes to full-time remote work and full-time in-person work. 18% of Malaysian respondents prefer to work remotely full-time, but only 13% are hopeful their employer will implement that approach.

“On the opposite end of the spectrum, 27% believe they’ll be required to work in-person full-time, but this is a model only 19% of respondents prefer.

“As leaders make decisions to reopen offices, they’ll need to find a way to meet employees in the middle, striking the right balance between flexibility and prioritising business needs,” she said.

Nurul said that among Malaysian respondents, 65% said it’s extremely or very important that their employer is transparent about the organisation’s impact on the economy.

Meanwhile, 64% said it's extremely or very important that their employer is transparent about the organisation's record on protecting worker health and safety.

She said 60% of respondents are extremely or very confident that their employer is transparent about the organisation’s impact on the economy, while 59% are extremely or very confident that their employer is transparent about the organisation’s record on protecting worker health and safety.