Hybrid Talent in Malaysia: Where to Find Them and How to Attract Them
Hybrid talent can be a rare find. These are talent who “have it all” – according to our survey, hybrid talent are categorised as talent who have strong analytical skills in addition to technical training. For example, someone working as an app developer will need technical skills such as coding but must also possess analytical skills to be able to study data and solve problems.
Safe to say, recruiters don’t consider them easy to find.
It is expected that hybrid talent will be higher demand as Malaysia moves towards a digital-first Industrial Revolution 4.0 era. With more technology intertwined in our daily lives and down the supply chain, employers are on the lookout for hybrid talent who not only has the technical knowledge, but who can also take it a step further by analysing data and coming up with solutions.
If you’re not sure where or how to start hunting for hybrid talent, our Laws of Attraction (LOA) survey can help. With more than 10,000 responses across Malaysia, we have gleaned some knowledge and understanding of which industries hybrid talent can be found, and what they’re looking for in a job.
In which industries are hybrid talent typically found?
Hybrid talent are more prominent in the Consumer Products / FMCG line, with 26% of talent in the field displaying hybrid skills, according to our LOA data. Other industries with hybrid talent are Computer / IT (25%), Consulting (IT Science Engineering & Technical) (24%), Electrical & Electronics (24%), Telecommunication (23%), Insurance (22%) and Manufacturing / Production (22%).
In terms of job roles, most hybrid talent are keen to look for positions in Legal & Compliance (29%) and in Software development / App development (26%).
Hybrid talent are more likely to be male Gen Xers
According to our (LOA) survey, hybrid talent are more likely to be found in the Gen X population, with almost half (48%) of them falling into this 35 to 54 age group - and at a managerial job level.
This probably makes the most sense, given talent of this age will have had the time and experience to gain a broader set of skills that could be complementary to one another, and span across multiple job roles.
However, this doesn’t mean hybrid talent aren’t hiding elsewhere. In fact, 41% of hybrid talent fall among the Millennials in Malaysia, followed by 10% of Gen Zs.
According to our survey, more men (56%) tend to be classified as hybrid talent, while 44% are women.
They’re driven by higher salaries
Perhaps unsurprisingly, hybrid talent demand higher compensation packages, given their unique set of skills that would be an asset to any business. A total of 16.7% of hybrid talent said money is their top driver - higher than any other driver - so this will obviously need to be a consideration for employers.
To give employers a sense of how much hybrid talent are expecting, those in senior management roles expect a mean salary of RM14,790 per month, while managerial hybrid talent expects RM8,953 a month. Senior executives expect a monthly pay of RM5,788, junior executives want RM3,341, and fresh graduates are looking at RM2,063 a month.
On average, hybrid talent commands a monthly salary that is 15.5% higher than non-hybrid talent. However, they expect slightly lower pay rises (23.2%) in comparison to non-hybrid talent (24.1%) when moving up the corporate ladder.
They’re ambitious to keep learning and growing
Hybrid talent aren’t a group that will rest on their laurels and get comfortable in a job - they always want to progress and contribute more. Companies that provide both technical and leadership training programs will have a better chance of attracting hybrid talent, and organisations that align this to swift promotion opportunities will also be favoured by hybrid talent.
It is interesting to note that hybrid talent are willing to trade off the location of the job for better career development opportunities. Meaning, hybrid talent will be willing to travel further for work if the company has programs and training opportunities to help them develop their career goals.
Good colleagues and company culture is a draw
Hybrid talent place more importance on a having good co-workers in comparison to non-hybrid talent. They are looking to work with collaborative, supportive, respectful and positive colleagues, who are courteous and professional.
Company culture is also something hybrid talent considers - they are looking for companies with good leadership, who promotes empowerment. They also appreciate companies that give recognition to deserving employees.
To attract hybrid talent, companies should embrace transparency and inspire employee autonomy. Practising good communication and organising fun team activities can also be beneficial in developing a strong company culture.
For a more detailed overview of the top drivers for each generation and industry, visit our Laws of Attraction microsite.