SHAH ALAM, Nov 1 — A new RE:CARE Project study has revealed alarming levels of burnout and work-related stress among Malaysia’s care workers, with one in three (34.5 per cent) indicating they intend to leave the sector within the next five years.
The report, titled Towards a Resilient Care Workforce: Lessons from Covid-19 in Malaysia, found that 56.2 per cent of care workers continue to experience moderate to severe fatigue, even after the pandemic has subsided.
Additionally, three in four respondents (75.7 per cent) reported a significant decline in overall wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic, while two-thirds (67.2 per cent) said they have yet to fully regain their previous mental and physical health.
“During the pandemic, around one in three care workers worked more than 70 hours a week. Although conditions have stabilised, many are still working overtime beyond the 45-hour limit set under the Employment Act,” the report stated.
The RE:CARE Project warned that this sustained strain could undermine the resilience of Malaysia’s care system, especially as the nation faces a rapidly ageing population.
The study involved 1,534 survey respondents, 144 focus group participants, and 20 interviews with policymakers and industry practitioners across the care sector nationwide.
RE:CARE urged the government to introduce more equitable and gender-responsive policies to address burnout and high turnover rates in the care workforce.
“We must re-evaluate the value and essential role of care workers, most of whom are women, to ensure they receive proper recognition, protection and support,” said lead researcher Anis Farid.
At the state level, Selangor is among the earliest to adopt a care economy approach through various social support policies, including the Inisiatif Rumah Penjagaan Rakyat, Pusat Wanita Berdaya and childcare support under Tunas, part of the #KitaSelangor agenda.
This aligns with RE:CARE’s call to recognise care work as a key economic sector, not merely a domestic responsibility predominantly shouldered by women.
The RE:CARE Project is a collaboration between the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Universiti Malaya, and the University of Alberta, supported by the Health Ministry and TalentCorp.
It is funded by international organisations including the International Development Research Centre and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
