Only 34% of Malaysians think they're well-equipped to work today

Bosses and HR teams of organisations across Malaysia need to pay more attention to the requirements of their staff if they want to boost their productivity and talent retention levels.

This is especially because a survey by Microsoft found Malaysian working professionals are wanting to work on their own terms – dictating where and when they want to work, but are hampered by various challenges in the workplace.

These includes having to be in the office to access necessary tools and documents, and to collaborate with other colleagues.

Polling 200 individuals from Malaysia, the survey asked respondents if they are supported by the right people in their offices, are empowered with the right technology and have the right tools to work remotely.

It highlighted only 34% of locals feel truly well equipped to handle people, place, and technological challenges in the modern workplace.

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"In Malaysia, the survey results have shown that there is a gap – Malaysians are wanting to adopt the new world of work, but face difficulties when it comes to addressing these three key principles," the survey stated.

Indeed, when it came to working in the right place, the report found 81% said that they are still required to be contactable outside of work today in order to complete their work effectively.

Worryingly though, 69% of respondents stated their workplace does not support them working remotely.

“Globalisation and technological innovations have brought the world closer and have fundamentally changed the way people live and work. In fact, the nature of work has evolved so much that remote collaboration is an important aspect of work today,” said K Raman, managing director, Microsoft Malaysia.

In addition, 48% of respondents stated that they need the ability to share ideas, documents and information with colleagues.

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However, 48% also stated that they lack the breadth of productivity tools for collaboration across groups.

"Today’s generation can no longer afford to ignore the need to collaborate with others – whether it be family, friends, or business partners," the survey stated.

"The goal to enhanced productivity is crucial for everybody – from individuals, professionals to even SMEs as they comprise some 98% of all businesses in Malaysia."

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