One in two Malaysians said they would quit their job if it did not offer them enough career progression opportunities, according to the latest Randstad Workmonitor.

The research also found that 55% indicated they would remain in their current role if they were happy, even if there was no room to progress or develop. 

More than 1 in 3 respondents (38%) said that they would quit their jobs if they were not offered any opportunities to future proof their skills. Notably, 43% of Gen Zers would consider quitting a job that does not offer upskilling opportunities, while only 15% of Baby Boomers would take such action.

Across Malaysia, 53% of respondents said that it is the employer's responsibility to train and upskill. Local respondents are most interested in developing themselves in the following areas: IT and tech literacy (42%), Management and leadership skills (29%), AI (29%), Data science and analytics (23%), and Communication and presentation skills (22%).

Meanwhile, 73% consider themselves ambitious, 17% above the global average. At the same time, 12% of workers said they never want to take on any managerial roles. 

However, the research indicates that not wanting career progression does not mean employees have no interest in self-improvement, with 81% of respondents ranking training and development opportunities as important when thinking about their current and future employers. 

The five most important factors when thinking about their current or future employment are: Work-life balance and salary (94%), Health insurance and healthcare benefits (90%), Working hours flexibility (89%), Job security (88%) and Mental health support (87%).