On Monday (16 Aug), Randstad, the world’s leading human resources solutions agency, released the results of its latest survey, revealing that 69 per cent of respondents in Malaysia have indicated their preference to continue working from home until the COVID-19 vaccine has been widely distributed.
This is the highest in the region, with Singapore, Mainland China, and Hong Kong SAR trailing at 67, 45, and 48 per cent respectively.
The ‘Randstad 1H Workmonitor‘ survey was conducted earlier in March across 34 markets around the world with a minimum of 400 respondents in each market.
The bi-annual survey highlights the workforce’s latest sentiments and perceptions of the local job market.
73% of respondents don’t feel safe in their workplace until their co-workers are vaccinated
More than seven in 10 respondents in Malaysia said that they would feel unsafe in their workplace until others around them are fully inoculated against COVID-19, 12 per cent higher than their Singaporean counterparts (61 per cent).
Of the respondents who were working on-site amid the pandemic, 55 per cent said that they felt continuously at risk of COVID-19 infection.
What’s more, nearly three in five (59 per cent) of respondents saw their productivity levels suffer as they were perpetually stressed about getting infected with COVID-19 at their workplace which would inadvertently compromise the health of their loved ones.
Despite their health and safety concerns, 47 per cent of respondents noted that their employers have incentivised them to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“It is not a surprise that people put a premium on their health and safety during a pandemic. In doing so, workers also expect their employers to take added precautionary measures to safeguard their health and safety,” said Fahad Naeem, Head of Operations at Randstad Malaysia.
“At the minimum, companies should implement stringent health and safety procedures and allow those who are able to work from home to do so.”
Mr Naeem asserted that employers should also “strengthen their workforce’s herd immunity” by actively encouraging workers who get vaccinated if they are able to do so.
“Randstad Malaysia offers two days of paid COVID-19 vaccination leave to all employees so that they are able to better monitor their health after taking the vaccine without worrying about work. A COVID-19 vaccine education webinar was also conducted for all our staff so that they can make a more informed decision about the vaccine and their own health,” he added.
64% of employers still want their workers to be present in workplace
In spite of the potential health and safety implications and sharp spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases
in Malaysia, 64 per cent of respondents stated that their employers would like them to work on-site.
Nonetheless, nearly half of them (49 per cent) agreed that their job cannot be performed remotely.
“Although many companies are eager to return to pre-pandemic activity levels, there is no rush to do so especially when the country is still experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases,” said Mr Naeem.
He continued, “At the same time, companies should prepare for how the return to work would look like after the pandemic. We already know that many employees find themselves more productive and less stressed when working from home, so there is a clear rising employee expectation for hybrid or remote work options.
“It is hence critical for leaders to start reimagining the future of work, which will drive home the need for new work policies, digital investments and revised office designs to enable hybrid work arrangements and higher work productivity.”
