In Malaysia, 44% of all workers faced career growth obstacles. However, a Randstad Malaysia survey showed that 60% of respondents who identify themselves as a minority at work face career growth obstacles, 26% higher than those who do not.

To bridge this gap, according to Randstad, employers can be more transparent about the metrics and methods they use to evaluate and assess their employees. Through open communication, employers will be able to have more constructive dialogues to improve the outcomes of the assessments.

Randstad’s research, conducted by Kantar TNS, showed that 45% of respondents consider themselves a minority at work in Malaysia, because of various reasons such as ethnicity, nationality, religion and disability. The survey showed 12% said that they consider themselves to be a minority but did not disclose the reason. 

In the survey, 56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials reported feeling like minorities in their workplaces, compared to 41% of Gen Xers. A significant factor contributing to these feelings is how their ethnicities, nationalities and race are perceived by their colleagues and employers.

Specifically, 19% of Gen Zers cited their religious beliefs as a reason for feeling like minorities, while only 12% of millennials and 9% of Gen Xers shared this concern.

Randstad stated in a press release, “Word-of-mouth and social media are powerful platforms for employees to share their experiences and they can have a far-reaching impact on the employer brand and the company’s ability to attract and retain talent.”

“It is hence critical for companies to implement strict anti-discrimination policies and ensure that all recognition is grounded in merit, rather than the individual’s religious beliefs or identity,” Randstad added.

Meanwhile, the survey found that older workers are more likely to face career growth obstacles. One in 5 Gen Xers surveyed did not feel that the best opportunities go to the most deserving employees in their careers. Gen Xers are also the least likely to think that their employers provide equal pay for equal work.

At the same time, 2 in 3 Baby Boomers said that their senior managers are fair when it comes to providing re-skilling and upskilling opportunities, as opposed to 52% of Gen Zers and Gen Xers.

On the national level, the differences between how the two different genders view their employers are marginal. However, the research reveals wider gaps in the manufacturing and technology industries.

In the manufacturing sector, 25% of men feel that they are not receiving equal pay for equal work, compared to 14% of women. The opposite is true in the technology industry — 31% of women believe that they are not receiving equal pay for equal work, while 18% of men share this view.

Additionally, in the technology sector, 23% of women do not believe that the best opportunities go to the most deserving employees in their organisation, while only 12% of men hold the same belief.