Kuala Lumpur, 14 August 2022 – According to the results of the first 2022 BrioHR SME Employer Sentiment Survey, Malaysian employers are placing more emphasis on skills and are opting for full-time employees over freelance or gig workers.
Key Findings:
- A Positive Employment Outlook - More than 50% of survey respondents have actively recruited more employees in the last two years compared to pre-pandemic levels.
- Skills – Survey respondents shared that they are finding it difficult to find employees that have strong interpersonal, problem solving and creative and innovative skills.
- Talent Shortage– According to the survey findings, there is a talent shortage in IT, marketing, and sales. Recruiting talent in these sectors remains a major challenge for employers in 2022.
- The Gig Economy - Despite a significant talent shortage in IT, marketing, and sales, 54.3% of survey respondents are hesitant to hire freelancers or ‘gig workers’ and would still opt for full-time employees.
- Online Platforms Are Still Preferred - The top three platforms for recruiting employees that respondents preferred were job listings, followed by Linked In and referrals from existing staff.
The Survey
The first 2022 BrioHR SME Employer Sentiment Survey was conducted from June to July 2022. The survey garnered over 1,000 respondents from industry leaders from various SME sectors in Malaysia.
Benjamin Croc, co-founder and CEO of BrioHR, said:
"The survey did yield some interesting results. It is encouraging to see the SME sector actively recruiting, as it demonstrates that they have recovered from the effects of the pandemic over the last two years. The findings also show that it is becoming more difficult for the SME sector to find talent within the roles and skill sets required. In addition to the skills gap, they must deal with wage inflation and labour competition as many employees migrate to industries that meet their lifestyle needs.
"Despite the scarcity of talent, it was interesting to note that more than half of survey respondents did not want to work with freelance or gig workers, despite this being the norm around the world. This could be due to a number of factors, including company confidentiality, as these employees frequently work for multiple companies at the same time, often in the same industry.
"It is critical for businesses to invest in the growth and development of their employees." Employees are less likely to look for work elsewhere if they are given the opportunity to contribute their expertise to the company's important projects.
"As a result, businesses may want to take concrete steps to win the talent competition. These include new ways of recruiting talent; improving job design; resetting the company's compensation plan and work culture; and providing employees with a more robust career experience.
"While most survey respondents still prefer online platforms to recruit, referrals from within the company will result in faster hiring. This is because employee referrals provide immediate access to talent as they are sourced through personal connections. Aside from this, referrals allow your new hires to learn about your company from the perspective of an employee. The new recruits will also have friends who can assist them in settling in quickly, reducing attrition and increasing retention. In some ways, your referral programme can also serve as an indicator of employee satisfaction."
