KUALA LUMPUR (June 13): Job seekers in Malaysia are influenced, either completely or to a certain extent, by online comments left by previous employees about prospective employers, says recruitment specialist Hays.

Citing its latest web poll carried out in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore, Hays said that overall, three in five (59%) of respondents in Malaysia stated that they take online comments of ex-staff into consideration when deciding to apply or work for a firm.

It said that in addition, over a third (34%) of them noted that they are 'definitely' swayed by such reviews and opinions.

Hays noted that the number of Malaysian candidates who do not take into consideration online comments about a prospective employer has declined.

It said that in an identical web-poll carried out in 2016, 14% of respondents said they were not influenced by such factors when deciding to apply or work for an organisation while in the 2019 web poll, only 7% feel the same.

Hays Malaysia managing director Tom Osborne said as industries across the board become skills-starved, organisations could benefit from managing their online reputation from an Employer Value Proposition (EVP) point of view.

He said in this digital age, it is a natural process for many hopeful candidates to look up what is being said of working at an organisation which they are considering to be a part of.

Osborne said the Internet has made it fairly easy to gain access to comments of ex-staff, with many active employer review platforms and forums available online.

"Organisations that want to attract high quality candidates and mitigate the potential risk of losing adept talents should position themselves as the employer of choice — both online and offline.

"While it is difficult to control what people post online, there are social media platforms available which employers can use to give outsiders a glimpse of what is it like to work at their company while showcasing its successes and values.

"And as far as existing online comments go, it is best to assess the feedback made by both current and ex-employees, then create an action plan for not only your PR image but also your working environment," he said.