ID :
119266
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 08:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/119266
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA NEEDS TO DEVELOP NEW STRATEGY TO ATTRACT TALENT
By Christine Lim
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs to develop a new strategy to attract talent, especially in the technology sector, as the country moves towards a high income economy.
Melissa Norman, Managing Director of workforce management solutions company
Kelly Services said, in the "war for talent", employers need to take a different
approach.
She opined that they need to be more flexible in meeting changing lifestyles
as well as the needs of today's young professionals.
"While the Malaysian job market has shown signs of improvement this year,
there will be in line with the recovery, an acute shortage of talent for
Information Technology professionals and engineers with the relevant skill as
well as experience.
"This is still the main issue," Melissa told Bernama in an interview
recently.
She said employers played a key role in attracting and retaining a skilled
workforce to make Malaysia an attractive job destination.
"Employers have shown they are now willing to pay the same level
of renumeration or benefits, as what is offered abroad," she said.
This, according to Melissa, is significant as employees are now
highly mobile, moving across the globe in search of better opportunities and
perks.
"People are moving to China, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Australia in
search of better job prospects. Similarly, Europeans are moving to Asia to work,
and the continent is becoming a fast growing economy," she explained.
She also highlighted that most engineering jobs are moving towards being
projects-based, over a specific time duration and scope of work, with the best
talent being hunted for it.
"This will create a more dynamic workforce with the best talent being
highly sought," she elaborated.
She also said the job market is evolving, with employers prefering
to pay higher wages for knowledgeable and skilled talent, rather than invest in
training staff to meet the necessary requirements.
She said in this respect, the government played a key role in development
and training, to ensure a better trained and highly skilled workforce.
Melissa indidicated that this can be achieved through a special fund set up
by the government to encourage employees taking up a new skill.
Besides that, she said, there are already a number of polytechnics in the
country that have a practical attachment programme for students, to gain the
experience required in the workforce.
"In spite of this, the shortage in supply of skilled talent is still
prevalent in this country, as talented people, will move for many reasons,"
she added.
Among the reasons cited are better renumeration packages, a better education
system and quality of life.
"To draw talent back to the country, the government could consider
relaxing immigration policies, to enable these people to bring their spouses and
families to live in Malaysia," Melissa said.
She also emphasised that it is not just the pay package that employees
are seeking today but other factors such as work and lifestyle balances while
social responsibilities and initiatives that support the green environment, play
equal importance.
This, she explained, is more prevalent among the younger age group as
compared to baby boomers ( aged between 48 to 65), that have the tendency to be
workaholics.
"Understanding the different generational age mix in an organisation, also
plays a key role in creating a working environment, that enhances productivity
and helps it towards becoming an employer of choice," she noted.
Organisations, she said, have to be prepared to change the way they work,
to accommodate the younger generation which is more into technology.
"Most of the time, people leave their jobs because they don't have the
flexibility of technology such as Face book, which has become an integral part
in their life," Melissa said.
According to the Kelly Global Workforce Index, the idea that generation Y
employees (aged between 18 to 29), want to shape jobs to fit into their lives
rather than adapt it to the workplace, is sparking calls for greater
engagement by their mostly baby boomer managers.
The survey findings also revealed that all generations prefer cash over
non-cash rewards, although baby boomers are somewhat more attracted to
non-traditional forms of rewards and bonuses.
It also indicated that engineering employees are sending a clear
message that employers are not rewarding them in ways that meet hopes and
expectations.
The survey obtained the views of nearly 100,000 people in 33 countries,
including almost 6,000 in the engineering industry across North America, Europe
and the Asia Pacific region.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs to develop a new strategy to attract talent, especially in the technology sector, as the country moves towards a high income economy.
Melissa Norman, Managing Director of workforce management solutions company
Kelly Services said, in the "war for talent", employers need to take a different
approach.
She opined that they need to be more flexible in meeting changing lifestyles
as well as the needs of today's young professionals.
"While the Malaysian job market has shown signs of improvement this year,
there will be in line with the recovery, an acute shortage of talent for
Information Technology professionals and engineers with the relevant skill as
well as experience.
"This is still the main issue," Melissa told Bernama in an interview
recently.
She said employers played a key role in attracting and retaining a skilled
workforce to make Malaysia an attractive job destination.
"Employers have shown they are now willing to pay the same level
of renumeration or benefits, as what is offered abroad," she said.
This, according to Melissa, is significant as employees are now
highly mobile, moving across the globe in search of better opportunities and
perks.
"People are moving to China, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Australia in
search of better job prospects. Similarly, Europeans are moving to Asia to work,
and the continent is becoming a fast growing economy," she explained.
She also highlighted that most engineering jobs are moving towards being
projects-based, over a specific time duration and scope of work, with the best
talent being hunted for it.
"This will create a more dynamic workforce with the best talent being
highly sought," she elaborated.
She also said the job market is evolving, with employers prefering
to pay higher wages for knowledgeable and skilled talent, rather than invest in
training staff to meet the necessary requirements.
She said in this respect, the government played a key role in development
and training, to ensure a better trained and highly skilled workforce.
Melissa indidicated that this can be achieved through a special fund set up
by the government to encourage employees taking up a new skill.
Besides that, she said, there are already a number of polytechnics in the
country that have a practical attachment programme for students, to gain the
experience required in the workforce.
"In spite of this, the shortage in supply of skilled talent is still
prevalent in this country, as talented people, will move for many reasons,"
she added.
Among the reasons cited are better renumeration packages, a better education
system and quality of life.
"To draw talent back to the country, the government could consider
relaxing immigration policies, to enable these people to bring their spouses and
families to live in Malaysia," Melissa said.
She also emphasised that it is not just the pay package that employees
are seeking today but other factors such as work and lifestyle balances while
social responsibilities and initiatives that support the green environment, play
equal importance.
This, she explained, is more prevalent among the younger age group as
compared to baby boomers ( aged between 48 to 65), that have the tendency to be
workaholics.
"Understanding the different generational age mix in an organisation, also
plays a key role in creating a working environment, that enhances productivity
and helps it towards becoming an employer of choice," she noted.
Organisations, she said, have to be prepared to change the way they work,
to accommodate the younger generation which is more into technology.
"Most of the time, people leave their jobs because they don't have the
flexibility of technology such as Face book, which has become an integral part
in their life," Melissa said.
According to the Kelly Global Workforce Index, the idea that generation Y
employees (aged between 18 to 29), want to shape jobs to fit into their lives
rather than adapt it to the workplace, is sparking calls for greater
engagement by their mostly baby boomer managers.
The survey findings also revealed that all generations prefer cash over
non-cash rewards, although baby boomers are somewhat more attracted to
non-traditional forms of rewards and bonuses.
It also indicated that engineering employees are sending a clear
message that employers are not rewarding them in ways that meet hopes and
expectations.
The survey obtained the views of nearly 100,000 people in 33 countries,
including almost 6,000 in the engineering industry across North America, Europe
and the Asia Pacific region.
-- BERNAMA
