Struggle of trying to find a balance between professional and personal life WFH during current FMCO in Malaysia- latest InsightzClub research findings

Though the current FMCO has affected daily life in Malaysia in more ways than one an overwhelming 96% of the population consider it as a necessary measure.

A nationwide study in Malaysia was conducted by InsightzClub (a tech driven consumer insights firm) to understand the current attitude and perceptions towards the ongoing pandemic.

With the pandemic lasting now for over a year, it is safe to say that it has entirely changed the way we all lead our lives now. With different sectors or the economy embracing technology more than ever before, people have been forced to incorporate this change into their lives.

Even with Malaysia’s ability to handle the pandemic the previous time around, 63% of them continued WFH even when the last lockdown was lifted. Needless to say that when asked which mode of work they preferred better, 40% answered that they would enjoy to continue WFH, even when things start looking better. 

Despite their enthusiasm to continue this way of life, some of the common challenges faced by them while working from home included the increased number of distractions, communication and coordination problems with fellow teammates and supervisors, to name a few. There is the endless struggle of trying to strike a balance between one’s personal and professional life – around 53% find this to be the greatest struggle they face with WFH.

However, it would be wrong to say that people don’t benefit from the situation. Some benefits include – money savings, less commute stress and location independence.

There is worry about whether the economy would get revived, the results however express a mix of emotions. Around 59% the population believe it will while the other 41.2% believe it cannot. 

6 in 10 respondents feel they are more well prepared both rationally and mentally to handle the current lockdown given the previous experience.

With the situation spiraling out of control, 98% of the people believe that the government can take stricter measures to handle the situation better. Although, even with measures in place, the fate of the country entirely depends on the people. If they follow the norms religiously, the cases will definitely be on a decline. There needs to be restraint in the engagement of congregations at a time like this considering the greater good.

More than 70% of the respondents strongly feel that Malaysians will behave more responsibly when the lockdown measures are lifted and more strictly adhere to the reason. The main perceived reason is the damage and spiraling effect of the pandemic is there for everyone to witness.

However only 4 in 10 respondents perceive that the fear of the pandemic has increased compared to last year. More than 90% believe that the halo effect of the pandemic on jobs and employment will be multifold.

Consumers perceive ecommerce as the new normal .Many apparel stores have shifted to operating through an online store and they find it advantageous in terms of costs like rent, increased sales and providing more customizable services to their customers. 9 in 10 respondents consider the future of education, to be a more hybrid approach. 

While most of the population believe that the pandemic is likely to fade away by the end of the year, 92% of them believe that the behavior of the people holds the success of Malaysia’s battle against COVID-19. To know more about consumer behavior and InsightzClub’s solutions reach out to InsightzClub