Only 49% of Malaysian workers are happy with their salary, even though 81% believe they are paid fairly or well for their current role, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s Salary Pulse 2026 report.

Recognition at work, career growth, workload and whether your salary supports your lifestyle all shape how you feel about your pay. Even among workers who felt their salary was “about right”, only 41% said they were happy with what they earned.

Happy Workers Are Almost Three Times More Motivated

Salary satisfaction also carried through to motivation and staff retention. Those happy with their salary were almost three times more likely to feel motivated at work, while those who were unhappy were 2.5 times more likely to be considering a new job.

Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia country manager Nicholas Lam said employers should look beyond offering competitive salaries by also recognising employees’ contributions, supporting career development and creating a positive workplace.

Most Salary Increases Were 5% Or Less

More than half (56%) of Malaysian workers received a salary increase over the past year, though for most it was 5% or less. Another 30% received raises of between 6% and 10%.

Most increases (71%) happened within the same role rather than through a promotion, so a higher salary didn’t always require a new title or added responsibilities.

Workers whose increase was tied to their own performance were more satisfied with their pay than those who received a company-wide raise (65% compared with 52%).

The report also looked at what helped workers secure a raise. Among those who received one, 37% credited their problem-solving skills, while those who secured raises of more than 10% more often pointed to time or project management, business and strategic skills, and negotiation.

Most Employees Who Asked For A Raise Received One

Only 40% of respondents said they felt comfortable asking for a salary increase, though more than half (56%) had asked at least once before.

Among those who asked, 78% received either the full amount or part of it, split almost evenly between 39% who received everything they requested and 39% who received some of it.

If you know your manager well and have a sense of how they might respond, it can be worth asking. Nearly four in five of those who did got at least part of what they requested. 

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Christina Chandra

Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister’s cats.

About THE AUTHOR

Christina Chandra

Christina Chandra

Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister's cats.

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