PETALING JAYA: From insufficient wages to skills mismatch, experts are getting down to the nitty-gritty of why young people are frequently switching jobs.
Workforce consulting firm Korn Ferry Malaysia country managing director Anthony Raja Devadoss said: “Based on experience with our clients, employees cannot clearly see how they can get promoted, and some may be searching for a job without the traditional 9-to-5 schedule with flexible working hours.
“The presence of industries with high demand, known as hot skill segments, that offer higher wages may encourage some younger employees to make the switch.”
But the choice may also come down to how employers treat their staff, he noted.
“Managers may lack the skills to mentor or motivate juniors, which hinders skill acquisition.”
He also cited social media as a driving force behind normalising job changes.
Online professional networking platforms are readily available, while various social media platforms can influence perceptions of “career hacks” and alternative paths.
He also noted that not all industries have high turnover rates.
“Tech talent often moves for faster career progression and skill exposure, while manufacturing and finance exhibit relatively longer tenure due to structured career paths and stability.”
He suggested a variety of methods that companies can implement to discourage youths from leaving their jobs too early.
“Firms should avoid purpose-washing but instead create a goal-driven culture; create clear career ladders based on skills; show employees exactly how they can move up; offer career growth and meaningful work; and invest in manager development to improve engagement and coaching.”
He added that fostering a safe learning environment is key to encouraging young workers to stay longer.
“They should use social media platforms to advertise real employee experiences and offer flexible work models aligned with role requirements.”
Echoing Anthony’s observations, executive search and leadership development firm CnetG Asia managing partner, Raj Kumar Paramanathan said frequent job changes among those in their 20s and 30s reflect a global trend driven by rational career decisions rather than a lack of loyalty.
“Younger professionals are moving to secure faster income growth amid rising living costs, accelerate learning and career progression, and gain flexibility and work-life balance,” he said, adding that many are also unwilling to stay in workplaces with weak leadership or poor culture.
Raj Kumar noted that employers often struggle to retain talent due to structural issues such as pay compression, unclear career pathways, inconsistent people management and rigid work models.
Social media platforms such as LinkedIn and TikTok, he said, have further normalised job switching by making salaries, opportunities and career paths highly visible, raising expectations of what employers should offer.
"To improve retention, organisations must deliver a credible employee value proposition, including fair pay progression, clear development pathways, strong managers and flexible work design," he said.
At the same time, Raj Kumar cautioned young workers against moving on too quickly.
“Early in one’s career, growth matters more than immediate market value. Most meaningful learning takes 18 to 24 months to translate into real capability,” he said, adding that leaving too early often results in “collecting experiences rather than compounding them”.
Dr Yeah Kim Leng, Professor of Economics at the Sunway University Business School, said stagnant wages are behind the recent trend.
“In Malaysia, wage levels, both at the unskilled and skilled levels, have been low due to inflationary pressures,” he said. “Furthermore, young people feel compelled to search for higher-paying jobs to fulfil their spending needs.”
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Malaysia’s median wage decreased from RM3,064 in January 2025 to RM2,864 in June 2025.
However, the median wage can differ according to household incomes.
Yeah also said that the younger generation feels less pressure to support their families financially, which contributes to some of them changing jobs.
“For families creeping up to the middle and high income brackets, young people will have less pressure to support their parents, allowing them to pursue other opportunities,” he said.
Economist and policy specialist Dr Geoffrey Williams said the tendency for young workers to resign can be due to either end-of-year bonuses or a lack of them.
“It is common for job changes to occur after the bonus season, but it is also common for bonuses to be lower or denied altogether to those who have not worked at a company for more than 12 months. Job-hopping at year-end is more common for people who have been at a company for two years at least. By this time, they know if they will get a promotion or make the switch.”
More importantly, he said, such behaviour is a reflection of poor work environments.
“This reflects the responsibility of HR departments and managers who fail to prioritise their employees’ well-being.”
He also explained that nowadays, the concept of working a 9-to-5 job does not appeal to the youth.
“For young people, gig-economy work, freelancing, side hustles, micro-enterprises and new income opportunities are more attractive. High job-hopping in this context is due to a rejection of formal work contracts in favour of greater flexibility. This is the future of work.”
