Report: 59% of M'sians Leave Jobs Due to Toxic Work Environments, Highest in Asia Pacific

A whopping 59% of workers in Malaysia have quit their jobs due to toxic workplace environments. According to Randstad's 2025 Workmonitor report, the number is the highest in the Asia Pacific region.

The findings in the report by the world's largest talent agency also stated that aside from being a morale killer, a toxic work environment is also a major cause of high turnover rates in a workplace.

The report stated that almost half of Malaysian respondents (48%) will reject jobs from companies that they know do not actively foster a positive workplace culture. This sentiment is the strongest among Gen Z workers (59%) and Gen X workers (50%).

Image Credit: The Star

Here are other findings in the report:

50% of respondents (primarily Baby Boomers) would consider resignation if they do not get along with their managers.
61% of Malaysians would leave their jobs if they felt a lack of belonging.
16% (especially Gen Z) cited the absence of genuine friendship at work as a reason for quitting.
93% of respondents said they perform better when they feel a sense of community.
91% said knowing their colleagues personally improves performance.
33% of Malaysians (primarily Gen Z and Baby Boomers) are willing to accept lower salaries if they have good friends at work.
43% of Malaysians would quit if forced to spend more time in the office (the numbers show a climbing trend among Gen Z and Millennials).

All in all, the report reinforced that workplace experience no longer depends on job titles or compensation. From a sense of belonging and flexible work, there are many factors that help in shaping how we Malaysians choose to work and for how long.

Featured Image Credit: The Star, Woman's Aid Organization