A worker operating a machine at a plant of Dai Dung Metallic Manufacture Construction & Trade Corporation in An Ha Industrial Zone, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA) To prepareto return to production after the week-long holiday, representatives of manybusinesses said that they had focused on attracting and recruiting workers amonth in advance.
Companieshad participated in many different recruitment channels such as job sessions,forums and social networks. They even encouraged workers to introduceacquaintances but so far companies have not yet recruited enough people.
Nguyen ThiThuy Van, Chairwoman of the Union of Long Rich Co., said that the companyhad lost about 500 workers during the pandemic, so it is necessary toretain current employees to return to work after Tet.
"Everyyear, there is a small number of workers who go home for Tet holiday and do not return to work,and the company can still manage to recruit new workers. But this year the situationis very unpredictable,” Van told VNeconomy. “Many workers who returned to theirhometown due to the spread of COVID-19 have not come back yet.”
Nguyen DangHien, general director of Bidrico Company, also said that ensuring theworkforce after Tet was nowa challenge for many businesses.
Every yearworkers don’t return to work at the same time, but this year it isexpected that more workers will stay at home longer than previous years becausetheir family members test positive with coronavirus or are afraid of gettingthe virus if using public transport.
According toHien, to retain employees, the company continues to ensure salaries, bonuses andseniority allowances for employees. It also allows workers to receive anadvance payment of 5 - 10 million VND (220 - 441 USD) to prepare for Tet.
"Ifenterprises take good care of workers and have adequate remuneration, workerswill stay with the enterprises, and return to work soon,” said Hien.
Regularly thesouthern factories under the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) are short of about 10 percent of workers, equivalent to 6,000 people after the Tet holiday. Therefore, they have createdmany plans to retain workers.
Nguyen ThiThuy, vice chairwoman of the Union of Vinatex, said that during this period,commitments to ensuring jobs and income were the most effective way toretain workers.
The Union ofIndustrial Parks and Export Processing Zones in HCM City said that due to thevarying quarantine rules among localities, this year many businessesallowed workers in remote provinces to return home 1-2 weeks earlier.
To retainworkers, many businesses also organise shuttle buses and reward employees whoreturn to work on time.
Manybusinesses have increased bonuses to keep workers in the city, helpingfactories complete orders on schedule.
It isestimated that about 98,000 workers will be staying in industrial parks andexport processing zones during this year’s Tet holiday.
However, thesurvey showed that after Tet,businesses still need to recruit about 10 per cent more workers to expandtheir production scale.
Coordinating afterTet
The People'sCommittee of Ho Chí Minh City had sent guidelines to organisations tosupport workers, especially those who don’t return home.
The city isalso preparing plans to coordinate human resources after Tet.
Nguyen Van Lam,vice president of the HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs,said that after the Tet holiday,the city was expected to need about 45,000 skilled workers, especiallyin trading, leather and footwear, and mechanical engineering.
To provideenough resources for businesses in the area, the HCM City Department of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs had directed employment service centres to organisemeetings and introduce workers from other provinces and cities to HCMCity to work after Tet./.
VNA
