PETRONAS tops list for putting employee growth first, LinkedIn says

PETRONAS and Permodalan Nasional have been ranked the top two companies in Malaysia for professional to grow their careers. This was followed by Tenaga Nasional, AIA, and Telekom Malaysia, according to an annual guide by LinkedIn Malaysia. Many of the companies on the list are currently hiring, with more than 45,000 roles available in Malaysia right now.

This is the first time the list is being published in Malaysia. Here is the full list of companies:
1. PETRONAS
2. Permodalan Nasional
3. Tenaga Nasional
4. AIA
5. Telekom Malaysia
6. Accenture
7. Maybank
8. OCBC Bank
9. PwC
10. Standard Chartered Bank
11. EY
12. Axiata
13. Prudential
14. Intel Corporation
15. Hong Leong Bank

According to LinkedIn, the rest of the list is dominated by companies that helped improve consumers' lives with their products and services. It added that all of the companies are investing in employee success, career development, and equity and inclusion, to ensure they continue to be among the best workplaces for employee growth as they embark upon a post-pandemic world.

The three key trends from the top companies listed are prioritising skills, supporting their workforce through challenging times, and GLCs hiring talent across diverse industries and roles.

1. Prioritising skills

Recognising that digital skills are crucial in the future economy, OCBC (#8) is training and developing the digital skills of all its employees globally under the OCBC Future Smart Programme, while PwC (#9) has digital and soft skills initiatives to help employees remain relevant as their roles evolve. Meanwhile, Permodalan Nasional makes it mandatory for all employees to complete 64 hours of training a year, to increase competencies and develop high skills to meet current and future demands.

2. Supporting their workforce through challenging times

In Malaysia, companies in banking, accounting and financial services dominate the list. According to LinkedIn, the presence of three banks in the Top 10 - Maybank (#7), OCBC Bank (#8) and Standard Chartered Bank (#10) - reflects the strength of the banking sector in the country, which has proven to be resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, LinkedIn found that companies are ahead of the game when it comes to supporting their talent pool, with programmes for flexible work arrangements and employee wellbeing, among others.

3. Malaysian GLCs hiring talent across diverse industries and roles

Three government-linked companies and one government-linked investment company are featured in the list - PETRONAS (#1), Permodalan Nasional (#2), Tenaga Nasional (#3), and Telekom Malaysia (#5). With Maybank (#7) and Axiata (#12) completing the list of six GLCs, LinkedIn said these local companies continue to attract talent across different roles and jobs, in industries as diverse as oil and gas, utilities, and telecommunications.

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