FOCUS GROUP 1

Understanding Generation Y
This year, efforts were made to enlist the participation of young men and women aged between 20 and 32. Across the globe, employers are finding that this generation, sometimes called Generation Y, has distinct values and mindsets that influence their approach to, and expectations of, working life. As they will gradually represent a greater
proportion of the workforce, this is a group that will increasingly be driving change. Obtaining a sense of what young people want out of their work lives will help employers plan for this.

On July 31, a lively session was held with 27 young people in a restaurant in Bangsar. Participants, both men and women, shared their impressions of work life and their views on what they are looking for in a workplace. This session proved to be both stimulating and illuminating, and the active participation of this group at the Summit Roundtable this year is expected to help build consensus on strategic approaches needed to shape the workplace of the future.

FOCUS GROUP 2
Shaping the Workplace of the Future,

Together the second Focus Group was held at Dewan Nur at the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development on August 5. This session benefited from the participation of 30 women spanning the different sectors – MNC corporations, SMEs, government and NGOs – who made time to attend.

The participants weighed in on how Malaysia was faring in terms of nurturing A
more inclusive, equitable and family-friendly work environment while retaining a competitive advantage. They offered valuable perspectives from their personal experiences. in this session, aside from the sharing of information, bridges of empathy were built between women from different walks of life. Certainly, there was a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by women living with disabilities, single mothers
and those caring for children with learning disabilities and those struggling to sustain their
businesses.

Women from corporations that are leading the way by institutionalising flexiwork
options and creating more choices for employees to balance work and home were
able to offer a glimpse of what is possible if we can collectively embrace a paradigm shift that accepts new ways of working and supervising human resources.