- AI adoption accelerates as workers rethink careers and future skills
- Confidence gap emerges as employers expect growth but workers remain cautious
Randstad’s latest Workmonitor report reveals a growing confidence gap in Malaysia’s labour market: while 95% of employers expect business growth this year, only 68% of Malaysian talent share that optimism. The disconnect suggests businesses may face challenges sustaining growth amid economic uncertainty and rapid technological change.
The findings are based on insights from 750 individuals and employers in Malaysia, supported by global data from more than 27,000 workers across 35 markets and analysis of over three million job postings. The report identifies what Randstad calls a “Great Workforce Adaptation”, driven by AI-powered efficiencies, evolving career expectations and the growing importance of managerial support.
The AI reality gap
Artificial intelligence is central to this transformation, yet perceptions between employers and workers remain misaligned.
While companies are accelerating AI adoption, 62% of Malaysians believe AI will only impact a small to moderate portion of their current work tasks. More than half (54%) also believe AI benefits companies more than employees.
Meanwhile, global job postings reflect rapidly rising demand for AI-related roles. In 2025, listings requiring “AI agent” skills increased by 1,587%, while demand for “AI trainers” rose by 247%, highlighting the growing need for humans to train and guide AI systems. Prompt engineering is also becoming widely relevant, with global demand for the skill rising by 97%.
Despite concerns about automation, the report suggests AI is more likely to augment tasks rather than replace jobs. Talent appears to be responding proactively: 56% say AI training is their top learning priority, while 63% are independently seeking opportunities to future-proof their skills outside formal employer programmes.
From linear to portfolio careers
The report also highlights a shift in how workers view career success. Many are moving away from the traditional career ladder in favour of more flexible “portfolio careers”, or stepping away from progression altogether.
About 44% of Malaysian respondents say they no longer want a linear career path, preferring instead to explore roles across different sectors. Employers largely share this view, with 75% saying the traditional career ladder is outdated.
Economic pressures are also influencing work choices. More than half of Malaysian workers (52%) say they have taken on, or are considering taking on, a second job, while 48% say they have increased or plan to increase their working hours to cope with rising living costs.
Even as financial pressures grow, priorities are shifting. Competitive pay remains the main factor attracting talent (89%), but work-life balance is the key factor in retention. Nearly half (49%) say work-life balance is the primary reason they would remain in their current role, compared with 29% who cite pay and benefits.
Managers as the key to stability
Despite global concerns about declining workplace trust, Malaysian organisations appear relatively resilient.
While trust in leadership globally has faced pressure, trust in the Malaysian workplace remains strong, with 84% of talent saying they trust their company leadership and 85% trusting their colleagues. However, in uncertain times employees are increasingly turning to those closest to them. Around 72% say they are seeking greater reassurance from their managers due to the volatile macroeconomic environment.
Manager–employee relationships also appear to be strengthening. Some 79% of Malaysian respondents report having a strong relationship with their manager, up six percentage points from 2025.
Intergenerational collaboration is also emerging as a valuable strength in the workplace. Three-quarters (75%) of Malaysian workers say they rely on colleagues from different generations to broaden their perspectives and facilitate learning. While 86% of younger employees say they gain industry knowledge and soft skills from older colleagues, 82% of older workers report learning technology and AI skills from younger team members.
Sander van ’t Noordende, CEO of Randstad, said organisations that adapt to these changes will be best positioned for growth.
“AI should be seen as key to augmenting tasks and highlighting the importance of roles that only people can perform. Traditional career goals are changing, with talent and organisations thinking more flexibly about what success looks like,” he said.
“However, human connection remains central to organisations, with managers taking on an increasingly important role in maintaining stability during the Great Workforce Adaptation. Only when businesses and talent are on the same page can true growth be unlocked.”
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