EY survey shows over half of Malaysian workers and bosses know benefits of GenAI, but only 22pc plan to upskill for it

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Some 63 per cent of employees in Malaysia anticipate that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will make their work more flexible, according to the EY 2023 Work Reimagined Employee survey released today.

The survey of 250 workers and 50 employers conducted by the global professional services group between May and July also showed that 70 per cent of workers said they are either currently using or planning to use GenAI in the next 12 months.

The survey found that 84 per cent of Malaysian employers are expecting GenAI to enhance work, and 96 per cent are either currently using or planning to use the technology within the next one year.

Despite both groups ranking learning and skills as the number one factor to ensure employees thrive at work, only 22 per cent of Malaysian employers plan to provide training on GenAI-related skills.

Because of that, EY Asean People Advisory Services Leader Low Choy Huat said that despite the vast awareness of the GenAI benefits in Malaysia, there is a substantial gap in upskilling and reskilling the workforce to adopt the technology.

“It is encouraging to witness the increasing awareness among Malaysian employees and employers on the potential benefits of using GenAI in the workplace.

“While there is an intention among employers to incorporate GenAI in the near future, there is a substantial gap in upskilling and reskilling the workforce in the technology.

“It is imperative to accelerate the training of essential skills to build Gen AI capabilities, while fostering the ethical and responsible use of it in the workforce,” he said in a statement today.

The survey also revealed that 39 per cent of employees in Malaysia, or over a third, are likely to quit their jobs in the next 12 months.

Among the top listed reasons given were better overall wellbeing programmes, greater flexibility for remote work, and more competitive salary packages elsewhere.

The EY survey found that salary remains the main concern of Malaysian employees at 40 per cent, followed by an employer’s ability to attract new talent (20 per cent) and workplace flexibility (28 per cent). Low said that over a third of Malaysian workers are actively considering moving to a workplace that offers enhanced wellbeing initiatives that can meet their post-pandemic aspirations and the rising cost of living even as they recognise there are still economic challenges ahead.

“To safeguard the essential workforce, employers must proactively address the evolving expectations and priorities of their workforce to not only attract and retain top talent but also foster a resilient workforce in the face of ongoing economic challenges,” he said.

With regards to work flexibility, the survey found that about half or 52 per cent of Malaysian employers are supportive of their employees adopting a two-to-three-day hybrid arrangement by allowing them to work from home on some days and in the office on other days.

Low said this approach is a positive trend in the post-pandemic landscape.

“Despite the increased prevalence of remote work, there remains a strong demand for in-person interactions to foster teamwork, professional relationships and social bonds.

“Recognising this, employers should aim to create balanced and fulfilling work environments that accommodate both remote flexibility and essential in-office connections,” he said.

EY said that 9 per cent of Malaysians surveyed identify as neurodivergent with 77 per cent falling into these age groups, particularly among Gen Z and millennials in the workplace.

Low said embracing neurodiversity not only harnesses an untapped talent pool of the neurodiverse population for navigating the evolving digital landscape, but also enables companies to champion inclusivity by extending its definition and integrating the concept into the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace.

According to EY, neurodivergent individuals have unique traits like being able to recognise patterns, focus deeply, problem-solve by being creative and paying attention to detail.

It said such traits are invaluable, especially in meeting the increasing demand for digital skills like artificial intelligence, data analytics, blockchain, cloud and cybersecurity.