Salary & Work-life Balance: Let’s examine the two biggest talent drivers in Malaysia

When it comes to choosing a career, candidates have clear preferences that guide their decisions. Our new interactive data tool: Talent Attraction Lab has collected data and insights from over 33,000 of local candidates across Asia Pacific to give you a comprehensive picture of what they want in their careers. Here’s a sneak peek at the top drivers of talent in Malaysia:  

In Malaysia, salary and compensation are the top priorities for candidates. Key sub-drivers include base salary or salary range, the frequency of salary reviews, and how salaries compare to market rates.  

Financial compensation for overtime is particularly appealing to Gen-Z, junior-level talent, as well as those earning less than RM4,500 per month, ranking second in importance for these groups.  

Additionally, insurance coverage is highly valued by Gen-Z, Gen-X, and candidates earning less than RM2,500 per month, often even more than having salaries benchmarked against market rates.

Work-life balance is the second most important factor for candidates in Malaysia. Key sub-drivers include time in lieu (compensation for overtime or working on public holidays such as Replacement leave, set number of hours off), additional leave, and regular daytime working hours.  

Gen-X talent tends to prefer regular daytime working hours, valuing the predictability and structure they provide. On the other hand, candidates earning more than RM7,000 per month prioritise flexibility, ranking flexible working hours and the option to work remotely higher than other groups.  

This indicates a strong preference for work arrangements that allow for better personal time management and adaptability to individual needs.   

Salary / compensation, along with work-life balance, are critical factors for candidates in Malaysia. Understanding these preferences can help employers tailor their offerings to attract, develop and retain top talent. 

But these are just two of the many various drivers of talent in Malaysia. To learn and understand more about how you can enhance your recruitment, development and retention strategy to meet the myriad needs of today's jobseekers in your industry across Malaysia or Asia Pacific, visit Talent Attraction Lab now.