KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Malaysia’s employers are the second most generous in Asia in increasing salaries with almost a third bumping up wages by six to 10 per cent last year amid steady hiring demand, according to a study.

The 2015 Hays Asia Salary Guide released today by global recruitment company Hays also showed that 43 per cent of Malaysia’s employers will raise pay in the next review by more than six per cent, even as Malaysians are bracing for a higher cost of living when the government implements the Goods and Services Tax in April.

“Our guide shows that hiring expectations remain steady across Asia, despite the talent shortage,” Christine Wright, managing director of Hays in Asia, said in a statement today.

“Employers in all five of our surveyed countries are seeing a gap — some more significant than others — between the skills that they are looking for and the skills available in the local labour market,” she added.

Compared to 31 per cent of Malaysia’s employers increasing salaries by six to 10 per cent in the last review, only 8 per cent of their counterparts in Singapore did so, while China topped the survey of five Asian countries with half of employers raising wages by six to 10 per cent.

Almost half, or 48 per cent, of Malaysia’s employers raised pay by three to six per cent last year, while nine per cent increased salaries by more than 10 per cent, nine per cent gave increases of less than three per cent and only three per cent of employers gave no increases.

The Hays Asia Salary Guide looked at wage and recruiting trands for over 1,200 roles across Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Japan, and surveyed 2,361 employers, representing some 4 million employees.

In order to retain top performing employees, many businesses are also using benefits and bonuses as enticements, with 51 per cent of employers across Asia saying they will award bonuses to over half of their best staff.

According to the study, 64 per cent of Malaysia’s employers provide health benefits, a car or car allowance (58 per cent), life assurance (47 per cent), club or gym membership (23 per cent), hardship allowance (20 per cent), housing allowance (17 per cent), pension (16 per cent), tax equalisation (5 per cent) and private expenses (2 per cent).

The Hays report also found that Malaysia has the second-highest percentage of women in management positions at 34 per cent, compared to 27 per cent in Singapore, 36 per cent in China, 31 per cent in Hong Kong, and 19 per cent in Japan.