JobStreet.com Malaysia Job Outlook 2019 survey reports employers are investing to attract and retain the talent they need to succeed
JobStreet.com, Asia’s leading talent sourcing partner revealed its Job Outlook 2019, indicating that in the shift towards a digital economy, employers are adopting a forward-thinking view with a strong intent to hire talent with digital skills.
According to JobStreet.com Job Outlook 2019, ninety-six per cent of employers surveyed perceived that the talent landscape will change with the shift to a digital economy. This is mainly due to a rising demand for talent with digital skills but limited supply in the market as more and more organisations embark on their digital transformation journeys. Based on the survey, about sixty per cent of employers reported that they have implemented some form of digital transformation initiatives or projects, with the remaining of employers surveyed are in various stages of planning and starting their projects.
With the wave of organisations adopting technologies to be ahead, forty three per cent of the employers surveyed who are embarking on a digital transformation journey are looking to grow their talent pool with skilled talent to drive business growth specifically in areas such as IT/Computing, Digital Marketing and Research & Development. The search for these talent will only get more challenging so employers need to be more proactive and adopt innovative practices to ensure they do not get left behind.
“Organisations must strengthen their innovation and technology capabilities to capitalise on growth, and they need skilled talent to support that business growth. The Job Outlook 2019 survey shows that while twenty-nine per cent of employers surveyed are looking to hire new talent externally for the skills the business needs, a large majority of employers surveyed cited their willingness to invest in retraining and upskilling existing employees,” said Mr Gan Bock Herm, Country Manager of JobStreet.com Malaysia.
The top three initiatives that employers are putting in place to retain their employees include:
- Increase on the job training opportunities for new skill sets
- Provide formal training & development programmes to retrain and upskill
- Investing in digital technology & processes
The survey also reported that the top five core work-related digital skills sought after by employers are:
- Digital marketing
- Software and application development
- E-commerce
- Big data and analytics
- Database
A highlight of the job survey is that employers are also looking to hire talent with soft skills in addition to hard skills. The top five traits valued by employers that increases a talent employability includes:
- Problem solving skills
- Communication skills
- The ability to work independently
- Teachability/willingness to learn and
- The ability to work under pressure
Speaking at the JobStreet.com HR Networking Event 2019, Gan further commented that “Organisational transformation in the digital economy is more than simply automating processes in an organisation; it’s about synergising technology advancements with talent to drive business growth. This calls for the need for HR professionals to have an in-depth understanding of advancing technology and its possibilities to reinvent talent acquisition and retention strategies to transform the workforce.”
