KUALA LUMPUR: Employers are responsible for increasing female labour force participation, says The Human Resources Minister.
V Sivakumar (pic) said the government has introduced various initiatives to promote female employment in Malaysia, especially through amendments to the Employment Act 1955.
"Through these amendments, we have introduced flexible working hours, which are particularly beneficial for married women and those with children, encouraging their entry into the workforce.
"In addition to fostering greater female participation, this move will also help reduce our reliance on foreign labour," he said during Wednesday's (Oct 18) Life at Work Awards 2023 event.
Sivakumar was responding to inquiries about the government's efforts to address female participation in the labour force and the declining fertility rate.
Recently, the Statistics Department reported that Malaysia's fertility rate in 2022 had reached a 50-year low, at 1.6 children per woman aged 15 to 49.
Sivakumar also emphasised the importance of employers aligning their workplace practices with the evolving needs of the country's multi-generational workforce.
"When TalentCorp initially began advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, its primary objective was to support the return of more women to work. Over the years, TalentCorp has expanded its initiatives to promote the well-being of all employees in the workplace," he said.
The TalentCorp Malaysia-hosted awards recognised employers who have been at the forefront of DEI and work-life practices. A total of 30 awards across eight categories were presented to acknowledge outstanding accomplishments in employee achievement, diversity hiring, sustainability practices, and leadership excellence.
TalentCorp Malaysia CEO Thomas Mathew said the organisation's commitment to increasing female workforce participation through various initiatives included childcare centres and workshops on flexible work arrangements.
"In line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Madani economy target to increase our female workforce, we will introduce other initiatives such as Childcare Centers, Flexible Work Arrangement workshops, Women Networking and Mentoring Programs, and more," he said.
The award categories included Promising Young HR, Sustainability and DEI, and Outstanding Practices for Women Workforce. Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud also attended the event.
