Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve seen hundreds of millions of people lose their jobs and with it, their financial security. It’s not just employees, businesses of all sizes forced to shut down unable or unequipped to brace total lockdowns. In Malaysia, unemployment rose back in March when the pandemic forced the country to implement complete lockdown to minimise the contagion through the Movement Control Order or MCO.
Thousands of jobs in Malaysia are still under threat but we are seeing progress in the unemployment rate. In a mission to help Malaysia and its people get back on their feet, recruiters are at the frontlines. This time, we need to get it right.
Malaysia, just like most countries continue to struggle with unemployment brought out by the pandemic. Back in April, the Malaysian Employers Federation* or MEF estimated unemployment rate could reach 13% or up to two million this year. By September, we’ve seen signs of recovery as unemployment rate declines back in July.
According to the October Labour Force report by the Department of Statistics*, employment in wholesale and retail trade and information and communication increased back in August. Good or bad, there are still a lot of uncertainties in the near future of Malaysia with or without Covid-19. With thousands, even millions of Malaysians still out of job and most of them on the job hunt, they are looking for effective recruitment solution. The question at the same time the challenge now is, how can recruitment accomplish that objective?
Millions of Malaysians are now looking for jobs and they can’t do it the same way they’ve been doing it for many years. Most submissions, interviews and job assessments are now taking place online. Many organisations in Malaysia are now investing in new technology to be more agile in welcoming major changes in the market.
That is why recruitment must be resilient as well. Recruitment in Malaysia has always been a combination of traditional and innovative strategies. But organisations and candidates are leaning towards online processes for many reasons. It’s not just recruitment, one of the top predicted trends in Malaysia is the automation and digitalisation of HR functions. There is a strong possibility that most jobs to be in demand post-covid will be centred on the tech industry.
However, technology is not the driver for this agenda, rather it is the enabler. Humans will take the lead in establishing a strong and proactive mindset in incorporating technology to further recruitment forward. Through effective recruitment using technology, recruiters are able to automate tedious and repetitive tasks without sacrificing the quality of their candidate care and assessment. As part of this mission, Asia Recruit launched its brand-new website that provides better and more robust job application processes for job seekers and recruitment for organisations looking for top talents.
We need to get recruitment right. It’s not just about helping people get back to work, it is about getting people back to work where they feel valued and at the same time provide value to their employers and colleagues.
Most organisations in Malaysia are conducting their own recruitment while others partner with recruitment agencies. There is merit in both, but as we see new waves of change in the recruitment landscape, we also see recruitment agencies step up to the challenge.
Here in Asia Recruit, we are embracing new technology to improve our HR and recruitment services in terms of quality and speed. At the same time, we stay true to our traditional roots of building relationships with our clients and candidates guided by human-centric principles.
Looking forward, recruitment will be part of the discussion in the boardroom as it will play a vital role in helping Malaysia recover from the health and economic damages from Covid-19.
Written By Damien Lim
Damien Lim is the Managing Director of Asia Recruit. He’s been with the company since 2009, having joined the company as a Senior Recruitment Consultant, and went on to be the Consulting Manager, before assuming the role of Director in 2015. Apart from providing strategic guidance and leadership, Damien is committed to ensuring that the Company achieves its vision, mission and long term goals.
