More than 60% of Malaysians face work overload, have no time for family, survey reveals

More than 60% of Malaysian workers felt that they were not spending enough time with their families due to long working hours, a survey by online recruitment firm Jobstreet.com revealed.

Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed said that they worked extra hours daily – two to five hours beyond their scheduled time to leave the office. Overtime was inevitable, due to unreasonable deadlines and work overload, resulting in nearly 75% choosing to stay late at the office.

Most of the respondents, however, complained that they were not paid for the extra hours. More than 60% felt that their employers were not interested in ensuring a work-life balance.

One respondent said, "Even if my company has work-life balance initiatives such as a gym, a chill-out area and other organised social activities, it's there in place just for show. "We don’t have sufficient manpower to sustain the workload.”

And bosses, apparently, do not leave their employees alone when they are on leave, with the majority saying that they would still get emergency texts from their superiors. Only a quarter of the respondents said that their holidays were uninterrupted.

As such, unsurprisingly, nearly 80% leave their handphones switched on so that their bosses can contact them. So what do Malaysian employees want?

Apparently, most want their companies to introduce flexi-working hours instead of a fixed time slot. Respondents also suggested that employers should have a policy that encouraged the workforce to work less than 40 hours a week, rather than the fixed 9am to 6pm schedule.

Jobstreet.com country manager Chook Yuh Yng said companies should improve their work-life balance strategy. "This is one of the easiest and most costeffective ways to keep employees engaged, recharged, and motivated.


"Without it, the red zone of stress, burnout, and absenteeism can drain the productivity and performance of a company," she said. The survey conducted last month polled 954 employees across various industries in Malaysia.- TMI

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