What If We Used Cash as a Band-Aid for Toxic Workplaces?

Jentz Tan
Nov 25, 2024
5 min read

Last week, I attended a two-day ESG workshop in Malaysia. While the event focused on sustainability and governance, the most eye-opening moments didn’t come from discussions about frameworks or policies. Instead, they came from observing the people in the room and hearing their stories.

The workshop brought together participants from diverse industries, and their behaviors revealed stark contrasts in how Malaysians approach collaboration, leadership, and decision-making. These interactions, while just a snapshot, painted a compelling picture of our workplace culture—and why so many talented individuals are leaving for opportunities abroad.

We had participants from diverse backgrounds, and I noticed some striking differences in how they approached discussions, collaboration, and leadership. While these are just my observations from this one workshop (and not representative of the entire country), they revealed some thought-provoking insights about our work culture and why we might be losing some of our brightest talent.

Here’s a look at the four groups I worked with:

Four Groups, Four Stories

Public Sector Young Executives

Quiet. Reserved. Unwilling to step up.

When discussions needed a leader, this group hesitated. Even when presenting, they were quick to deflect responsibility. Some struggled to answer straightforward questions from facilitators. The energy? Lethargic.

Private Sector Young Executives

A small step up, but still overly cautious.

Directors of Public Listed Companies

Leaders in every sense of the word.

These experienced directors—many carrying titles like “Datuk” or “Datin”—were decisive, vocal, and clear in their ideas. When they presented, they radiated authority. It’s no surprise they reached their positions, but their dominance highlighted the hesitance of others in the room.

Unemployed Young Malaysians

Here’s where the story gets interesting.

Confident, articulate, and driven—this group brought incredible energy to every discussion. They asked critical questions, presented their ideas with clarity and conviction, and stood firm in their reasoning. Most impressively, they funded their own participation in the workshop. If I were to scale my company, I’d seriously consider hiring them.

But here’s the twist: all four had recently resigned from their jobs due to toxic work environments, long hours, and poor management. Three were already on the verge of accepting jobs abroad. When I probed further, they shared a recurring sentiment:

“If I am going to work long hours in a toxic environment, I might as well get paid better for it elsewhere.”

This was a lightbulb moment for me.

Higher pay is often just a band-aid for poor work culture and unsustainable hours—it doesn’t address the root of the problem.

So, what if Band-Aids are made out of cash? So that it heals the wounds of the depressed, stressed out, and upset employees who struggle to find a balance in work life.

Their story is not an outlier. It reflects a growing trend of talented Malaysians leaving for greener pastures—not only for better pay but also to escape burnout, toxic workplaces, and stagnant growth opportunities.

What can we do as leaders, employers, or industry peers to address this? It’s clear that fixing workplace culture and creating meaningful opportunities are critical steps if we want to retain and nurture local talent.

The Bigger Picture of Malaysia's Toxic Workplace

This is, of course, just a snapshot of a small group of individuals from one workshop, but it raises an important question:

Why do we consistently hear stories of Malaysians feeling undervalued or burned out at work?
Why is work culture such a key driver of the brain drain?

What struck me most was that for many, salary was a secondary concern.

Toxic workplaces and unsustainable demands were the bigger issues.

Pay only became a factor when the work culture failed to deliver on things like work-life balance and fair treatment.

ESG - Sustainability Starts with Your Workforce

As we discussed sustainability during the workshop, a glaring contradiction became clear:

How can organizations claim to champion ESG principles when the “S”—Social—is so often overlooked in their own workplaces?

A sustainable future doesn’t just depend on reducing carbon footprints or improving governance—it starts with sustainable workplaces.

Burnout, high turnover, and toxic management practices aren’t just HR concerns; they’re systemic failures that undermine long-term success. These issues erode trust, stifle innovation, and create hidden costs that no amount of external ESG efforts can offset.

If organizations truly care about sustainability, they must align their internal cultures with their external commitments. Walking the talk means fostering workplaces where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered—because sustainability isn’t just about saving the planet; it’s about preserving the people building it.

Hear My Desperate Call for Change

I’m not here to make sweeping statements about Malaysia's work culture, but based on this experience, it’s clear there’s room for improvement.

As a Malaysian who worked abroad for seven years and was even offered permanent residency, I made the decision to return home to contribute to the country in my own way—perhaps a bit naively.

But here’s the reality I faced, a true story:

“We can’t match the salaries of foreign companies, so here’s 50% of what you’re used to earning. Also, don't expect westernize work culture here, we expect you to work long hours, also over the weekend and tell your wife you may not be home for dinner often.”

That’s a true story, and let me tell you:

Very few if not no top-performing individuals would ever consider such an offer.

It’s an impossible equation that drives talent away rather than inviting it back.

To organizations:

Are you fostering leadership at all levels, or are you creating environments where employees feel silenced?
Are you prioritizing well-being and growth, or driving people to look for better opportunities elsewhere?

Real ESG starts within.

You can’t claim to care about sustainability while ignoring the burnout, turnover, and demotivation happening in your own offices.

If you want to retain talent—whether local or returning—you need to create workplaces that respect and reward their efforts without asking them to sacrifice their well-being or personal lives.

What Do You Think?

Have you ever left a company because of long hours or a toxic work culture? If so, what was the turning point for you? Or

Maybe you’ve experienced a workplace that got it right—what did they do to keep you engaged and thriving?

Let’s share our stories and ideas in the comments below.

Together, we can spark a conversation about what truly makes workplaces sustainable

[About the Author]

Jentz - Design Thinking Specialist and Innovator

Jentz has a deep background in innovation and design across Europe and Malaysia. Committed to enhancing design practices, Jentz aims to help position Malaysia as a hub for creative and impactful solutions. Join him in exploring the potential of design thinking to tackle immediate challenges and inspire transformative change and innovation.