Now more than ever, workers in Malaysia must prove their relevance to their employers to avoid losing their jobs as times are tough, the SME Association of Malaysia stated. Its secretary-general, Chin Chee Seong, said employees must show their value to the company by being reliable and productive, reports Free Malaysia Today. “They must keep learning and growing. They must continuously develop skills and knowledge to stay relevant to industry demands,” Chin told Free Malaysia Today. He said workers must be open to change and be willing to take on new challenges to help their companies through difficult times. “They must take the initiative and be proactive in finding ways to contribute to the company’s success, and drive digitalisation,” he said. However, he said, ‘it always works both ways’ as employers also needed to show extra care and support for their staff, especially during such difficult times.

Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia chairman William Ng said it was essential for employees to adopt a life-long learning mindset as ‘what we know today may no longer be useful tomorrow’. The Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) said if an employee could produce or earn for the company more than his or her salary, then the company would likely not let him or her go.