[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: The signs of change have been there for a long time. The economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic will only accelerate it.
Jobs are under threat for the older generation of white-collar workers. Experience will count for less, as agility becomes a more desirable criterion in hiring.
Even for the youngest employees, long-term job security will be a thing of the past as companies make constant short-term adjustments to meet rapidly changing trends.
People aged 40 and over are the most vulnerable, according to the president of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress, Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor.
“Most senior workers don’t have the skills or qualifications to help them get through the new normal,” he said. Sun Yesterday.
“They also lack job certification that gives them recognition for their expertise,” he added.
Sourcing specialist Ruvina Ravin said that with economic uncertainties, companies are adopting strategies to reduce payroll, and that means opting for younger workers, particularly those under 45, rather than those with experience who expect a higher salary. tall.
“The next two years will be crucial. Business must continue even if profits are low, as is the case with many companies.
“For these companies, experience will count less when they hire. They will already have senior executives with the required experience, ”he said.
Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) Executive Director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan noted that employees must be able to adapt quickly to environmental changes.
“They must be prepared to work without fixed hours, have technical knowledge and be quick with the new devices.”
He said employees should also be comfortable with shorter contract terms of less than a year because employers cannot guarantee business results.
To reduce costs for employers, Shamsuddin said MEF had proposed to Bank Negara Malaysia that the burden on health insurance for mature employees be reduced, but “the response has not been favorable.”
“This is discrimination against older people who are still contributing to society,” he said.
However, Shamsuddin disagreed that the new normal pitted younger workers against their more experienced counterparts.
“Even those over 40 can acquire new skills and adapt to the new normal,” he said. “They can still contribute and their experience and skills will add value to their work.”
On a related issue, he noted that of the estimated 14 million employees in Malaysia now, about a million are likely to lose their jobs, while job security remains uncertain for a large percentage of the workforce.
Former talent recruiter Christina Lee offers a ray of hope to seniors.
She believes there are other considerations when a company undertakes a recruiting drive, and for some, experience still counts for a lot.
“It depends on the direction of each company, their vision and what they want in the short and long term,” he said.
“It is vital that a person positions themselves in such a way that they are portrayed favorably to a potential employer. A video resume can increase a person’s chances of getting a job. It’s about integrating yourself during the interview process, ”he added.
Read this story on theSun iPaper:
The old is NOT gold
[ad_2]
