What Benefits do Malaysian Employees Expect Most in 2022?

Disclaimer: This article should not be considered to be legal advice, and altHR is not liable for any actions taken based on this article.

After two years of the pandemic, we might just be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccination rates are up, state borders have reopened, and we’re starting to see a semblance of a return to normal life — but only to some extent. 

This is because the pandemic has seen a change in a number of key elements of HR, including the rise of the digital workforce and hybrid/flexible work arrangements.

The pandemic has also seen a change in the mindset of the average employee. In 2022, employers must take focus on the well-being of their employees if they intend to retain — and recruit — the best talents for their organisation. And a significant factor in that regard is the benefits package that you offer to your employees.

Here are 5 benefits that you should consider offering to employees in 2022. 

1. Entitled benefits under the Employment Act 1955

Employees covered by the Employment Act 1955 are entitled to a number of benefits, including annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave, medical leave, and even layoff benefits. However, the only employees who are covered by the Act are: 

• Employees who earn monthly wages of RM2,000 or less.
• Employees who — regardless of monthly wage — are engaged in manual labour.
• Domestic servants. 
• Other categories of employees within the First Schedule of the EA 1955.

If you aren’t included in the above categories, you’ll have to rely on the specific terms and conditions of your employee contracts (and even your company policy). However, employers should take note of the above, and they should form the very minimum of the benefits that you should offer to your employees. 

2. Medical coverage/insurance

Technically optional, but you should certainly offer medical coverage to your employees. There are a variety of plans available for workforces of all sizes, and coverage can include: 

• Outpatient/inpatient insurance 
• Dental coverage 
• Personal accident insurance 
• Optical coverage 
• GP visits 

This can allow your employees to focus on their work relatively worry-free about potential medical costs and the like. As employees now prioritise personal health in tandem with professional growth, take care of your employees’ health and you’ll reap the rewards in their performance. 

3. Training opportunities

A mutually beneficial benefit to offer employees is the opportunity to upskill. This includes e-learning programmes, as well as paid courses in order for them to pick up new skills and competencies — which in turn will benefit your business. 

You can even consider online courses via Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or Google in order to help your employees stay abreast of the latest developments. As we embark on the digital era here in Malaysia, this can be key to the survival and success of your business. 

4. Flexible work arrangements 

The digital workforce of today is now centred around results and objectives, rather than set hours or even a physical workplace. This allows for a degree of flexibility when it comes to work arrangements for employees, who can work from anywhere, anytime in 2022. In fact, as much as 83% of employees reportedly prefer hybrid work models for the future.

However, to effectively implement flexible work arrangements, you’ll need to invest in the right digital tools. And that all starts with the right HRMS to hold together the workforce: altHR. Don’t just take our word for it — click here to read about how Digi-X uses the super app to manage the flexible workforce. 

5. Flexible benefits

Of course, benefits aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution for every industry, company, or even individual. That’s why a flexible benefit setup might be the best compromise for your organisation, one that allows employees to tailor their benefits package with a set amount of points proportionate to their tenure & position. 

With altHR’s Flexi-Benefits module, you’ll be able to reward your employees with the flexibility to spend pre-allocated points on various benefits and claims that they value most — a superb way to improve employee recruitment and retention for your company.