top 10 companies in malaysia 2021 (2023)

The results of the highly anticipated 2021 Randstad Employer Brand Awards have been unveiled! It is not a stretch to say that most of us would have heard of these top commercial companies in Malaysia. However, we are all curious to know what made these employers stand out and how they made it to the list.

The most attractive employers list comes off the back of our Randstad Employer Brand Research. It is the only global study that comprehensively captures the workforce sentiments towards key employee value proposition (EVP) factors from employees and job seekers. Through our research, employers will gain valuable insights to enhance their employer branding strategies and create strategies to attract and retain top talent.

Here’s all that you need to know about Malaysia’s top 10 employers in 2021 and their top 3 EVP drivers.

get to know the best companies to work for in malaysia.

1. shell

Since 1891, Shell has played a pivotal role in the development of Malaysia’s oil and gas industry. Today, the global group of petrochemical and energy companies is home to an estimated 6,000 local employees. The number one global lubricant supplier is best known for its stellar reputation among its shareholders, customers and employees in Malaysia.

The safety and well-being of their employees and contractors have always been Shell’s top priority. Shell Malaysia was one of the first employers in Malaysia to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives, and has rolled out various women-specific programmes to support their female employees in achieving their fullest potential. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Malaysia, Shell instituted a Virtual Employee Assistance Programme as well as virtual counseling services to look after their employees’ well-being. To safeguard their welfare, all of Shell’s office-based staff (except for essential workers) are advised to work from home from March 2020. The company also distributed more than 17,500 care packs comprising face masks and food provisions to its retail staff during the first Movement Restriction Order (MCO).

2. nestlé

2021 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Nestlé Malaysia. In response to COVID-19 and HR trends, the organisation moved its corporate headquarters to an open-concept, smart hybrid workplace in 1 Powerhouse, Bandar Utama in Q2 of 2021. Moreover, it has just launched its pioneering Plant-Based Meal Solutions manufacturing facility in Selangor. The multinational food and drink processing conglomerate is also set to execute Project RELeaf, an ambitious green endeavour that aims to plant three million trees from 2021 to 2023.

Despite a challenging operating landscape, Nestlé Malaysia surpassed expectations by delivering yet another round of resilient results with a turnover of RM5.4 billion for FY 2020. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the food and beverage giant has also been actively recruiting trainees, interns, and mid-career workers to drive local employment. It has also explored fresh methods to engage potential candidates via webinars and virtual career fairs. In line with the group's global ambition to help 10 million youths gain access to economic opportunities by 2030, Nestlé Malaysia had announced its commitment to offer job opportunities to 500 youths by 2021.

3. intel

Not only is Intel Malaysia a critical hub for the chip maker's global operations, but it also aims to expand the access to technology skills and experience for communities within which it operates. For a start, Intel had donated RM250,000 to the Penang Science Cluster in a bid to drive the state’s E-Learning Computer Program taskforce. Not forgetting local SMEs, Intel has awarded AI Starter Kits to 100 selected companies in Malaysia to help them forge greater value and drive innovation within the domestic industry ecosystem.

Heartening is also Intel Malaysia’s constant efforts to help Malaysia weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology corporation has generously donated nearly RM4 million in medical equipment, personal protective equipment, e-learning laptops and groceries to the local community. Intel Malaysia had also donated RM250,000 to the Penang state government as an act of solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus. To render further support to local medical centers and the public, Intel Malaysia volunteers have also initiated their own Personal Protective Equipment fundraising and distribution projects.

4. samsung

The uncertain business environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic will not deter Samsung’s mission to inspire the world and create the future. To bring this vision to life, the technology group recently announced its drive to expand into Southeast Asia and grow its brand in the region. Furthermore, Samsung’s mobile-communications business is looking to boost sales of its flagship and fresh mass-market 5G models, while accelerating its efforts to manage costs.

Samsung is also doing its part to keep its employees safe amid the pandemic. The multinational conglomerate has restricted business travel to only mission-critical trips and strongly advised its employees to adopt remote working arrangements. Regional response teams across the globe have also been set up to provide its workers with timely updates on the latest information from health authorities.

5. sime darby

Headquartered in Selangor, the global trading and logistics player boasts a workforce of more than 20,000 employees. Founded in 1910, Sime Darby had just celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2020 and the group has been on a roll ever since. This April, Sime Darby launched Southeast Asia’s largest cutting-edge automotive complex in Petaling Jaya. Additionally, its plantation and agri-business arm had just posted a higher first-quarter net profit and is actively wooing local jobseekers with attractive benefits.

As one of Malaysia’s largest multinationals, Sime Darby is doing its part to provide support and relief for the country’s vulnerable communities amid the pandemic. The group has pledged more than RM4.4 million to address the needs of Malaysians and frontliners. Yayasan Sime Darby, with the dedicated support of Sime Darby Berhad and Sime Darby Plantation, has also committed RM1.37 million for 11 aid initiatives in hard-hit Sabah.

6. general electric

On Glassdoor, General Electric scored a whopping 4.2 stars out of 5, with 91% of employees who will recommend their friends to work with the company. In Malaysia, General Electric employs approximately 1,700 people across their aviation, healthcare and power businesses. Even when the aviation sector took a significant hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, General Electric did not stop investing in their people.

The company invests $1 billion every year to train and educate all their employees around the world. Through numerous development programmes, employees are primed for leadership and management positions to ensure their smooth career progression within the company. The company is also a partner of Teach for Malaysia, which is a programme modelled after Teach for American, to enlist promising future leaders and end education inequality.

7. hewlett packard enterprise

With Malaysians staying home for safety, organisations across different industries started to invest heavily in improving and scaling their digital processes to empower their employees. HPE played a significant role helping companies in their digitalisation initiatives during the pandemic, and continues to be a driver and partner of this transformation journey. Through its suite of financial flexibility programmes, expert technology solutions and secured remote connectivity solutions, HPE serves as the central pillar for companies to ensure that everyone stays connected.

In 2020, HPE rolled out extensive financial relief and support initiatives to minimise business disruptions for its channel partners in the wake of COVID-19. The company also offered virtual training events and forums and launched new sales enablement experiences to help their customers gain digital marketing proficiency. The Kuala Lumpur site had also been transformed to enhance employee experience and further mark the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in 2020.

8. sunway berhad

As a local conglomerate with businesses in properties and healthcare, Sunway has had a busy year in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunway announced a RM34 million aid package to support at least 40,000 beneficiaries. Through #SunwayforGood, the company had also reached out to more than 200,000 people to ensure food security during lockdowns.

Sunway is no stranger to receiving accolades recognising their great work in making the organisation the best place to work. Besides having a robust internal talent mobility strategy that supports career development and progression, the company also has a very strong diversity and inclusion programme to ensure fair representation of genders across all levels. Its open-door culture encourages employees to suggest new ideas and experiment with new ways to work.

9. IBM

With more than 6,000 employees working across eight Asia markets, IBM is a company that is guided by trust and transparency for a more inclusive society. Having won the prestigious Prime Minister CSR Award for “Family Friendly Workplace”, IBM places a big focus on work-life balance which is a part of the firm’s diversity & inclusion programme.

Even prior to the pandemic, IBM workers enjoy flexi-hours, remote working and leave programmes to care for their families or rejuvenate themselves to balance the demands of work and life. There are also specially-designed programmes for working women to seek financial and career independence. Through its global P-TECH initiative, IBM also works with public and private partners to reinvent education and nurture tech talent for the jobs of tomorrow.

10. tenaga nasional berhad

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) prides itself on providing training and employment opportunities for Malaysians. As Datuk Seri Ir Azman Mohd, CEO of Tenaga Nasional Berhad aptly pointed out, “TNB is like a river. We provide the water and it’s up to those who are thirsty to seek us out”. This multinational electric utility company offers several training programmes like the Leadership Development Centre, Integrated Learning Solutions and Universiti Tenaga Nasional to groom their employees and future leaders.

TNB staff had gathered in 2020 to contribute more than RM1 million to the Tabung Kilat COVID-19 PELITAWANIS to aid those who are affected by the pandemic. The funds aided the B40 community and orphanages as well as frontliners, nursing homes and students who were stranded at higher education institutions.

we can strengthen your employer brand

Navigating a business amid a raging pandemic is no easy feat. Yet the top 10 companies in Malaysia have risen to the challenge by devising new HR strategies to sustain their business growth and committing themselves to their employees’ growth and well-being.

If you want to learn more about how you can strengthen your employer brand and make it to the list of Randstad’s Most Attractive Commercial Companies, we have just the right resources for you. Our Employer Branding Research provides you with the latest trends, observations and a clear vision on what having a strong employer brand can do for your business.

Find out more about our HR services and let’s take your employer brand up a notch together.

access the 2021 randstad malaysia employer brand research report

The Employer Brand Research is the most representative employer brand study in the world, reaching out to more than 190,000 respondents across 34 markets, including 2,523 who are based in Malaysia in January 2021.

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