High demand, but difficult to recruit.

(Baonghean) - The demand for labor in businesses is very high, but the number of recruits is still very limited. A paradox is occurring: while many businesses are facing labor shortages, the number of unemployed workers in localities remains very high. The problem of ensuring a balance of interests between businesses and workers needs a satisfactory solution...

As one of the companies requiring a large workforce, BSE Electronics Co., Ltd. (located in Nam Cam Industrial Park, Nghi Loc) is struggling to attract workers. Mr. Ryu Han Kyoung, the company's planning director, stated: "To achieve our monthly production target of 10-15 million products, the company's labor needs are very high. This February, we are trying to recruit approximately 1,000 more workers, but given the current situation, this is difficult to achieve. The company has worked with the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board and local authorities to announce recruitment, but a portion of the workforce is still inclined to seek employment in the South rather than staying in their hometowns. Many people are choosing overseas employment, making recruitment very difficult. Currently, the company has 2,000 workers, and after the Lunar New Year holiday, all of them have returned to work; there has been no job hopping or quitting." Currently, the company has completed the construction of another factory and is looking to recruit 5,000-6,000 workers so that by 2015, the company will have approximately 8,000 employees, sufficient to meet the company's production needs.

Production line at BSE Electronics Co., Ltd. (Nam Cam Industrial Park, Nghi Loc).

Although not experiencing the same labor shortage as other companies, Haivina Kim Lien Co., Ltd. (Nam Giang Industrial Cluster, Nam Dan District) faces a significant challenge: a lack of skilled workers. Currently, the company employs nearly 3,000 workers, but with the upcoming opening of an additional factory, it will need an additional 500-1,000 skilled workers. Mr. Le Thanh Tinh, Head of the General Affairs Department, stated: "Currently, the company still accepts applications from job seekers four days a month. However, the number of skilled workers is still low, so the company only manages to recruit about 30-40 garment workers each month. Previously, most workers came from Nam Dan and Hung Nguyen districts, but now many workers from Thanh Chuong, Vinh City, and Nghi Loc districts are also applying." When hiring workers, companies must spend time training them in basic techniques and industrial work habits to meet requirements.

For Halotexco Garment Joint Stock Company, this year the number of workers quitting or changing jobs has been less volatile. To retain workers, the company implemented a Tet holiday bonus scheme with a basic salary multiplied by a factor of 1.5 plus a general bonus of 500,000 VND to ensure workers could celebrate Tet. Therefore, after the company resumed production on the 6th day of Tet, over 95% of workers returned to work normally, with only about 30 workers resigning. Currently, some workers who returned from working in the South for Tet are applying for jobs at the company. Mr. Le Trong Dai, the company director, is concerned that these workers tend to be restless and lack job stability, making the company reluctant to hire them. Before starting work, the company will provide vocational training for about a month, covering tuition fees and supporting income for three months. However, some workers, after completing their training, automatically quit and move to companies with higher salaries. Halotexco Garment Joint Stock Company has about 600 workers and needs 150-200 more to keep its production lines operating at full capacity. But very few workers have applied for jobs at the company.

Nghe An province is considered to have an abundant labor force with nearly 1.8 million workers, and on average, approximately 30,000 people reach working age annually to join the province's workforce. According to a survey by the Provincial Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, in the fourth quarter of 2013, about 43 businesses in the province needed to recruit approximately 1,500 workers. Entering 2014, the demand for labor from businesses is nearly 2,400 people. This is mainly concentrated in the garment industry, such as Matrix Vinh Co., Ltd. (500 workers), Minh Anh - Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company (500 workers), MLB Tenergy Co., Ltd. (30 workers), Prex Vinh Co., Ltd. (240 workers)... While the demand for recruitment is very high, forecasts indicate that many businesses will face a shortage of workers.

The reality is that the labor supply in the province is very large and basically meets the needs of businesses. But why are businesses, especially those in the textile and garment industry, always facing labor shortages? The main reason is that workers' incomes are currently low. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen, from Hung Nguyen, has been a worker at Matrix Vinh Co., Ltd. for over two years, but after the recent Tet holiday, she decided to quit to find a new job. The reason is that her income is too low, coupled with meager holiday bonuses, making it insufficient to support her family with two young children.

Ms. Huyen said: "My basic salary is 1.8 million VND, plus overtime pay and allowances, but it's only about 2.5 million VND. My husband is also a factory worker, and with a young child to raise, we have to rent a room, so we don't have enough to cover daily expenses. Therefore, I decided to quit my job here to find a new job with a higher income." Sharing the same sentiment, Ms. Le Thi Tan, from Hung Dong commune (Vinh City), who used to work at Halotexco Garment Joint Stock Company, commented: "Regarding income, domestic companies are currently paying workers much less than foreign-owned companies. Foreign-owned companies, although stricter in terms of requirements, offer benefits such as insurance, Tet bonuses, and maternity leave, so workers flock there more."

Furthermore, the quality of the workforce remains the biggest obstacle for the province. Currently, only 35.7% of the workforce has received formal training. Skilled technical workers are concentrated in a few professions such as motor vehicle repair, driving, garment manufacturing, electrical engineering, and electronics, but the percentage of trained workers remains very low. Some sectors, such as agricultural and forestry product processing, aquaculture, and construction materials, currently lack a large number of workers with basic training. Therefore, it can be said that the professional and vocational skills of the workforce in the province are still inadequate and do not meet the demands of the labor market. Meanwhile, many new industrial projects invested in and operating in the province are currently requiring a high-quality workforce.

Businesses need to pay more attention to all aspects of their employees' material and spiritual well-being, as well as fostering a harmonious relationship to ensure mutual benefit. Simultaneously, businesses must consider employees as valuable assets in the process of production and business development to ensure stable production. Furthermore, businesses wishing to meet labor demands need to provide information on their needs so that state agencies and labor organizations can plan recruitment and training effectively. In the coming period, along with efforts to attract more projects to the province, relevant agencies need to implement strong policies to encourage the development of the labor market, ensuring sufficient labor for large projects; and to promote vocational training to meet the needs of businesses. In training, attention should be paid to guiding vocational schools, developing and implementing common output standards for each industry, with specific requirements.

Pham Bang