Malaysia finance talent seeks purpose, pay and wellbeing

26 May 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's accountancy and finance professionals are ambitious, valuesdriven and under growing financial pressure – and a new report from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) suggests their employers have not fully caught up with what that means.

The Global Talent Trends 2026 report, the world's largest annual survey of the accountancy and finance profession, drawing on responses from over 11,000 professionals in 160 countries, finds that finance professionals in Malaysia are increasingly defining career success not just by salary, but by the opportunity to contribute to something meaningful.

Three in four Malaysian respondents (79%) say an organisation's reputation on social and human rights issues is a key factor in deciding where to work.

That figure is above the global average of 75%, and it signals something important: social purpose is no longer a soft differentiator in Malaysia's talent market. It is becoming a decisive one.

The appetite for purpose extends into career ambitions. Nearly three quarters of Malaysian respondents (74%) say they want to pursue finance roles focused on social impact in the future. Almost two thirds (65%) are drawn to roles with an environmental and climate remit.

This is a workforce that sees accountancy not as a back-office function but as a platform for change and they are choosing employers accordingly.

Yet purpose alone is not enough when the cost of living continues to climb. Two thirds of Malaysian finance professionals (66%) are dissatisfied with their current pay, and 67% say they intend to ask their employer for a pay rise in the next 12 months, above the global average of 62%.

The minimum pay rise Malaysian respondents say they would expect is above the APAC regional average, reflecting acute pressure on household finances in the current economic environment.

Andrew Lim, Portfolio Head of Maritime Southeast Asia at ACCA, said: ‘Malaysia's finance professionals are not simply chasing salary, but they are reaching a point where inadequate pay is becoming a reason to leave.

The organisations that will win in this talent market are those that combine competitive compensation with a credible, authentic commitment to social impact. Those offering one without the other will find it increasingly difficult to attract and retain the people they need.’

A workforce stretched thinThe mental health picture in Malaysia is a cause for concern. Nearly two thirds of respondents (61%) say their mental health suffers because of work pressures, a figure that is notably higher than the global average of 54%.

The report finds a consistent link between poor mental wellbeing, reduced engagement and increased flight risk, suggesting that employers who do not address wellbeing are compounding their retention challenges.

Cross-generational collaboration is also proving difficult, with 44% of Malaysian respondents saying their organisation struggles to support effective teamwork across different generations.

The survey finds this is not primarily a personality clash but an organisational design challenge, one that requires deliberate structure, not goodwill alone.

On artificial intelligence, Malaysia's finance workforce is more apprehensive about AI in hiring than the global average. More than half (58%) are not confident in the use of AI algorithms in recruitment processes, citing concerns about bias and the erosion of human interaction.

At the same time, employer investment in AI upskilling is growing, 45% of Malaysian respondents say their organisation is now providing AI learning opportunities, and confidence in the ability to develop AI skills remains high.

On the return to office, Malaysia tracks above the global average: 73% of respondents agree that organisations should require employees to spend a set number of days in the office each week, and 59% believe that office presence has a positive impact on promotion prospects.

This is a workforce that sees physical presence as professionally valuable, even as hybrid remains the preferred mode.

The report also finds that entrepreneurial ambitions are alive and well: 53% of Malaysian respondents aspire to start their own business at some point in their careers, reflecting the broader confidence that accountancy training provides a strong foundation for business ownership.

‘This is accountancy redefined for a changing world. The findings from Malaysia tell us that finance professionals here are not waiting to be given purpose, they are actively seeking organisations that share their values and willing to walk away from those that do not."

"That is a significant shift, and it demands a significant response from employers,’ added Andrew.