Malaysians are hopeful that their digital skills have improved since the pandemic began, but continue to be held back by fears of job security and automation

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 April 2021 – Are Malaysian employees adapting better to technology one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? For 77% of Malaysians, technology presents more opportunities than risks, yet for the most part, they remain anxious about its impact on job security, according to the Malaysia report of PwC’s ‘Hopes and Fears Survey 2021’.

2,003 Malaysians were polled on their views around technology, jobs and skills in January and February 2021 when the country was placed under a targeted Movement Control Order. 

Compared to 60% of global respondents, 71% of Malaysians fear that jobs may be at risk because of automation, a sharp increase from 34% the previous year. 

While only 19% of Malaysian respondents say they had adequate digital skills to perform their jobs, 57% say they have improved their digital skills since the pandemic began (vs 40% globally). Among the 57% respondents, 46% had some digital skills and developed them further, while 11% who didn’t have adequate digital skills were able to acquire them on the job.

The report is an important call to action for employees to upskill, and for organisations to rethink how they can support their employees in their upskilling journey and in preparing them for the future of work.

Nurul A’in Abdul Latif, Markets Leader, PwC Malaysia said:

“As much as technology is a lifeline in keeping people at work and an enabler for business continuity, certain barriers still persist. 78% of Malaysians say that a lack of access to technology has limited their ability to develop skills. This could reflect a shortage of the right technology, or perhaps even indicate that Malaysian companies need to move beyond mere lip service to urgently plug the skills gap through a proper upskilling strategy.

As employers, we also can’t ignore the fact that there is a real risk of burnout within the nation’s workforce. After all, more than half (55%) of the respondents prefer a mostly virtual work environment. But only 28% are able to disconnect from work outside working hours, weekends included, and make full use of their annual leave entitlement. What more can we do to address the work-life balance conundrum to reinvigorate our employees?”

Giving employees space to direct their own learning

Sentiments indicate that there is a silver lining amidst these uncertainties. 92% say they have been given a chance by their current employers to improve their digital skills outside their normal duties.

There is a hunger to learn as demonstrated by 87% of Malaysian respondents who agree that it is their responsibility to update their skills instead of relying on their employers to do so. Meanwhile, 88% say they are ready to learn new skills or completely retrain so that they can continue to be employable in the future. 

Upskilling rests on everyone’s shoulders but employers have an added responsibility to tailor their programmes to the needs of their business and employees. A skills assessment may help to identify the crucial skill sets that are lacking.

Michael Graham, Chief Digital Officer, PwC Malaysia said:

“It is not enough for organisations to be working out their upskilling strategies alone. This is an agenda in need of a larger mandate through closer collaboration between the government and the private sector. With the recent launch of the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL), businesses are in a pivotal position to partner with the government to intensify upskilling initiatives, and track and measure their progress to benefit everyone in society.

Beyond addressing the infrastructure needs of the nation for improved broadband access and internet speed, we need to consider what are the fears or challenges holding people back from embracing technology. Are organisations nurturing the right culture to promote upskilling among their employees? Are schools doing their part to promote lifelong learning among students?”

Making work purposeful for employees

The pandemic has also given rise to a new breed of employees who are not afraid to pursue new challenges, as part of both their professional and personal development. One of the clearest examples is societal impact, a priority for our Malaysian respondents. 85% say they want to work for an organisation that will make a positive contribution to society vs 75% globally.  

There are also employees (69%) who would like to be an entrepreneur and set up their own business vs 49% globally. Evidently, Malaysian employees are not content with pursuing a linear or traditional career path in the current landscape. 

Nurul continued:

“Employers may be able to benefit from a more engaged workforce, if they can crack the code on helping their people find fulfillment and a sense of purpose at work. Incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations as part of their business strategy is a way to create long term value and build trust among their employees (their most important brand ambassadors).

Citizen-led initiatives empower employees to contribute ideas or solutions to improve business processes. There are also opportunities for employees to volunteer for causes they are passionate about, from mentoring underserved students to imparting digital skills to those retrenched from the workforce. Regardless of where organisations start, this is a critical time to rethink what their workforce strategy should look like in the new normal, and how they can enhance value to society through upskilling investments.”

                                                                         ENDS