In Malaysia’s thriving job market, more talent are chasing opportunities. On a year-on-year basis, 35.2% respondents said they plan to switch employers between January and June 2025, 1.3-point higher than last year. From July to December 2025, 18% of respondents said they found new jobs, up by 1.9-point compared to the same period the year before, highlighting a concerning trend of job-hopping among employers.
Commissioned by Randstad and independently conducted by Kantar, the annual Employer Brand Research is the world’s most comprehensive employer brand research, surveying over 170,000 people globally — including 2,588 in Malaysia. Covered in this article, the research provides key insights into job hopping in Malaysia and the motivations behind it.
more job seekers in 2025, and more are successful in securing jobs
The annual survey also shows that Malaysia’s job market has been growing since 2021. Since 2021, the share of respondents planning to switch jobs has increased from 23% to 35.2%.
The percentage of respondents who made the switch also increased from 10.6% to 18.0% over the same period.
year-on-year job switching trend data in malaysia
sectoral data shows active moments among engineering, sales & marketing talent
Our survey data shows frequent job changes in industries like sales, marketing and engineering, indicating new and growth opportunities in these sectors.
Companies are hiring more people, and the roles in these fields are becoming more specialised and senior in nature as Malaysia strengthens its position as ASEAN’s talent hub. This shift will raise the quality of our local workforce, leading to more business establishments and expansions that will drive competition for top talent.
Respondents working in the engineering field showed the strongest intent to change jobs, with 42.1% planning to switch employers in 2025. In 2024, 21% of engineering professionals had already made a job change.
Interest in job switching also grew among respondents working in sales and marketing. The percentage of sales and marketing respondents planning to change employers increased by 8% to 34.8% in 2025. The number of people in this field who actually changed jobs doubled from 13% to 26% over the past year.
There was a 6-point increase in the percentage of talent working in the administrative and human resources field looking for new opportunities in 2025. However, the percentage of respondents who successfully found new jobs fell by 7.4% to 13.6%.
employers’ efforts to reduce push factors are showing positive results in malaysia
While Malaysians are exploring new job opportunities in the market, companies are getting better at retaining staff as overall scores for reasons for leaving decreased across all factors.
Compared to 2024, fewer respondents are leaving due to poor leadership (2.9%), lack of career growth opportunities (2.4%), and poor work-life balance (2.0%).
The share of those leaving for offers they couldn’t refuse also fell by 3%, indicating that companies are providing a better employee experience for their staff.
top 10 reasons why malaysians are switching jobs
register your interest for: 2025 employer brand research report on job hopping trends
Conducted by Kantar TNS in January 2024, the study surveyed 170,000 respondents around the world, including 2,588 individuals in Malaysia, making it the world’s most comprehensive employer branding research based on general talent perceptions.
Visit our Employer Brand Research page for more information about the year-on-year employer branding trends to strengthen your capabilities in hiring and retaining talent in Malaysia.
partner with us to attract today’s top talent amid changing job market trends
In today’s rapidly changing world of work, shifting talent expectations and new technologies are transforming how companies compete for talent.
At Randstad, we equip our clients with actionable market intelligence and partner closely with them to constantly strengthen their recruitment strategies. Partner with our specialist consultants to leverage the latest industry trends and strengthen your employer branding in a way that helps you attract and retain the talent you want for your teams, even as job hopping becomes more common.
related content:
-
how to improve employer branding?
To improve employer branding and reduce involuntary job hopping, clearly define your company values, communicate a strong employee value proposition, showcase authentic employee experiences, and ensure consistent messaging across channels.
-
why focus on the employee experience?
Your employer brand is your organisation's reputation as a place of work, for current employees, active and passive talent and other stakeholders. Embodying your values, culture and workplace environment, your employer brand offers a promise, which, if fulfilled, can bring high returns on investment.
Companies with positive brands get twice as many job applications, and 50% of candidates would not work for a company with a bad reputation despite a higher salary increase offered elsewhere. This highlights the importance of overall employee experience in preventing constant job switching.
-
what do employees expect from employers?
Employees expect competitive pay, growth opportunities, flexibility, respect, and a positive, inclusive culture that aligns with their values.