WORK LIFE BALANCE POLICY IN MALAYSIA: THE CURRENT POSITION AND THE WAY FORWARD

Muzaffar Syah Mallow
Dr., Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Syariah & Law,Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Malaysia
Email: muzaffarsyah.mallow@yahoo.com

Abstract

Work life balance policy or policies are becoming preferable trend adopted in many workplaces all over the world including Malaysia. With the increasing demand at work as well as the focus needed to be given for one family and personal life, it will require new policy or policies to be implemented which suit the modern workplace management which will allow the workers to balance their daily activities.  A survey conducted in early 2015 by Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI) found that 67 per cent of workers polled in Malaysia said a career that centres on work life balance interested them more even than a fat paycheck. The survey clearly indicates that Malaysian workers are more interested to be in a workplace which implements work life balance policy or policies than securing higher salaries or career advancement opportunities. The KGWI surveyed approximately 230,000 people across 31 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. There have been many studies which indicate that workers in an organization or company which already implemented work life balance policy or policies enjoy significant benefits like ability to effectively manage multiple tasks or responsibilities both at work and at their home. Implementing the work life balance policy or policies will also equally benefit the organization or the company as well. It is the object of this research paper to examine further the idea or concept of the work life balance policy, identifying the advantages which the work life balance policy can offer, examine the existence of such policy under the existing laws and practices in Malaysia and proposing the way forward by having more work life balance policy or polices to be implemented in the country.  

Keywords: Work, Life, Balance