Rethinking Performance Reviews At Work

Performance appraisals are often treated as a once-a-year ritual. They can be tense, emotional, and quickly forgotten. But what if appraisals were designed as an ongoing workflow instead of a yearly event? And what if KPIs weren’t just targets to hit, but tools for growth? In this conversatio…

Are Smart Tools Making Work Harder?

AI tools are helping Malaysian employees save time but many say their workload has increased. So is technology really easing work, or just raising expectations? Low Choy Huat from EY Malaysia joins us to discuss the real impact of AI in organisations today, why productivity gains can come with a…

AI at Work: Are We Using It The Right Way?

AI and sustainability are reshaping the future of work — and Budget 2026 is pushing organisations to move faster. But transformation isn’t just about technology, it’s about whether your people are ready. Sharmini Ann Jacob from KPMG Malaysia talks about turning national workforce priorities into…

Why Change Fails: Building Internal Coaching Cultures That Actually Stick

Why do so many change initiatives fail, even when the strategy is sound and the technology is in place? On The Workplace, we explore why transformation efforts often stall at the point of human adoption. With over 30 years of experience in organisational change across Asia-Pacific, Lalit Jagtiani s…

Building Workplaces With The Right Culture in 2026

Hybrid work, leadership fatigue, and rising expectations around trust and wellbeing have changed what it means to lead and belong at work. In 2026, building a strong team is no longer about individual performance alone and rather, it’s about connection, safety, and collective clarity. We speak w…

Hiring in 2026: Why Salaries No Longer Win

Malaysia’s job market is moving fast in 2026, with new roles opening up, salaries shifting, and employers competing harder than ever for the right talent. But beneath the activity lies a deeper transformation in how Malaysians choose where and why they work. We speak with Fahad Naeem, Country Di…

Salaries to Increase 4.8% in 2026?

2026 is here, and for many Malaysians, the big question is: "What’s happening to my salary?" According to Aon’s latest survey of 350 organizations, the magic number is a projected 4.8% increase, identical to 2025. But with inflation cooling, does this translate to a real wage hike? Rahul Chawla,…

The Post-Holiday Motivation Problem

As the year winds down, many organisations are asking the same question. How do we end the year on a high without relying solely on bonuses, pay rises, or one-off rewards? We explore what it really means to reward people at work. From the role of self-rewarding and gratitude, to how individuals and…

The Office as a Third Place: Reimagining Connection and Culture

For decades, the office wasn’t just where we worked, it was where we connected, shared ideas, and built culture. But as hybrid work reshapes our routines, many companies are struggling to recreate that sense of belonging. In this episode, Cilia Rasasegram, Chief Experience Officer at Kindler Emp…

Building Truly Inclusive Workplaces

For many persons with disabilities, employment remains an uphill climb, from inaccessible spaces and biased hiring to a lack of digital inclusion. But change is happening. In conjunction with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we speak with Amirul Safuan, Founder of Ameer Safone Ve…