Speakers at an online meeting in HCM City held yesterday discuss human resource management during the COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: thesaigontimes.vn) HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Enterprises should “put people first” in theirhuman resource plans as the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing companies toscale down business or even close for good, experts said at an online seminaron HR management held in HCM City on April 24.
Pham Van Viet, chairman of Viet Thang Jean Co Ltd, said the garment and textileindustry, which employs a large labour force, had been hit hard by thepandemic. Many companies said their US and EU partners had stoppedreceiving goods for three weeks to one month.
Viet said that most workers in the industry would not be able to switch toother jobs in the current economic environment.
Maintaining employment and income for workers was not only a vitalbusiness issue but had a great impact on society, he added.
“If enterprises let workers go, where will hundreds of thousands of workers go?What will businesses do to recruit workers after the pandemic is contained?Such questions have not been answered,” he said.
He noted that the US and the EU were two of the most important textile exportmarkets for Việt Nam. Half of all textile exports from HCM City wentto the US, while the EU accounted for 15-18 per cent of annual exports.
“Partners in these markets have suspended receiving goods, meaning that nearlytwo-thirds of the market of our textiles and garments has reduced,” Viet added.
The most important issue for textile enterprises, however, is not the deliveryof orders but the protection of workers, according to him.
To retain workers, about 50 per cent of the textile and apparel enterprises inthe association have shifted to making face masks and personal protectiveequipment.
Tieu Yen Trinh, CEO of Talentnet, an HR consulting firm, said businessdisruptions like the coronavirus had affected HR managementactivities of businesses.
According to a recent survey conducted by Talentnet, only 12 percent ofbusinesses said they recorded growth in the first quarter compared to the sameperiod last year.
“What businesses are most concerned about is how to generate enough revenue tosurvive and keep their employees,” Trinh said.
“Building human resources plans plays a crucial role. If a business suffers losses,operating costs should be cut first,” she said.
"For example, if the loss is 70 percent or more, a company’s benefits canbe cut," she said. "When the losses are high, the company must haveflexible policies on wages, benefits and jobs for workers."
“The last solution is to temporarily lay off workers for a few months withoutpay.”
Wage reduction policies should be transparent and fair, starting with thesalary cuts of the company leadership, Trinh noted.
In the worst scenario, shutting down a business, companies must also havebudgets to deal with any related costs, she noted.
Lawyer Tran Ngoc Thich noted that employees were concerned about their physicalsafety as well as potential disruptions to their own work, and wanted to knowhow their company would manage operations.
If enterprises could not continue business, they should have clear guidelinesfor employees when they are told to stop working, he said.
The Government has issued Resolution 42 on measures to support people facingdifficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including financial support forworkers, with 1.8 million VND per person per month (but not exceeding threemonths).
But experts have said the support is not enough for workers to survive.
HR managers would play a major role in making employee management decisionsas the outbreak remained a major disruption that could affect globaloperations for months, experts said.
It was important to plan for absenteeism until the pandemic is contained andbusiness is back to normal, they added.
The online seminar, organised by The Saigon Times Online newspaper,was attended by lawyers, members of the business community, and variousagencies./.
Pham Van Viet, chairman of Viet Thang Jean Co Ltd, said the garment and textileindustry, which employs a large labour force, had been hit hard by thepandemic. Many companies said their US and EU partners had stoppedreceiving goods for three weeks to one month.
Viet said that most workers in the industry would not be able to switch toother jobs in the current economic environment.
Maintaining employment and income for workers was not only a vitalbusiness issue but had a great impact on society, he added.
“If enterprises let workers go, where will hundreds of thousands of workers go?What will businesses do to recruit workers after the pandemic is contained?Such questions have not been answered,” he said.
He noted that the US and the EU were two of the most important textile exportmarkets for Việt Nam. Half of all textile exports from HCM City wentto the US, while the EU accounted for 15-18 per cent of annual exports.
“Partners in these markets have suspended receiving goods, meaning that nearlytwo-thirds of the market of our textiles and garments has reduced,” Viet added.
The most important issue for textile enterprises, however, is not the deliveryof orders but the protection of workers, according to him.
To retain workers, about 50 per cent of the textile and apparel enterprises inthe association have shifted to making face masks and personal protectiveequipment.
Tieu Yen Trinh, CEO of Talentnet, an HR consulting firm, said businessdisruptions like the coronavirus had affected HR managementactivities of businesses.
According to a recent survey conducted by Talentnet, only 12 percent ofbusinesses said they recorded growth in the first quarter compared to the sameperiod last year.
“What businesses are most concerned about is how to generate enough revenue tosurvive and keep their employees,” Trinh said.
“Building human resources plans plays a crucial role. If a business suffers losses,operating costs should be cut first,” she said.
"For example, if the loss is 70 percent or more, a company’s benefits canbe cut," she said. "When the losses are high, the company must haveflexible policies on wages, benefits and jobs for workers."
“The last solution is to temporarily lay off workers for a few months withoutpay.”
Wage reduction policies should be transparent and fair, starting with thesalary cuts of the company leadership, Trinh noted.
In the worst scenario, shutting down a business, companies must also havebudgets to deal with any related costs, she noted.
Lawyer Tran Ngoc Thich noted that employees were concerned about their physicalsafety as well as potential disruptions to their own work, and wanted to knowhow their company would manage operations.
If enterprises could not continue business, they should have clear guidelinesfor employees when they are told to stop working, he said.
The Government has issued Resolution 42 on measures to support people facingdifficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including financial support forworkers, with 1.8 million VND per person per month (but not exceeding threemonths).
But experts have said the support is not enough for workers to survive.
HR managers would play a major role in making employee management decisionsas the outbreak remained a major disruption that could affect globaloperations for months, experts said.
It was important to plan for absenteeism until the pandemic is contained andbusiness is back to normal, they added.
The online seminar, organised by The Saigon Times Online newspaper,was attended by lawyers, members of the business community, and variousagencies./.
VNA
