(News Portal – Dong Nai) – Currently, many enterprises in Dong Nai have resumed production, with abundant orders, and are ramping up large-scale recruitment, especially in the textile, garment, and leather footwear industries. However, the difficulty in recruiting labor remains a significant challenge for many businesses.
Many enterprises struggle to recruit workers.
Struggling to Hire Workers
According to the Dong Nai Job Placement Center, a prevalent issue is the mismatch between job demand and the unemployed labor force. There may be cases where some people remain unemployed despite numerous job vacancies due to mismatches in skills or desired work locations. This leads to suboptimal results in consulting and connecting workers with businesses.
The Formosa Industries Corporation (Nhon Trach District) is also in a severe labor shortage. Deputy Chairwoman of the company's labor union, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, noted that after a difficult period, the company's orders have returned, providing stable employment for workers. Since the beginning of the year, the company has continuously recruited labor but still hasn't met the demand.
"Workers often quit after 2-3 months, and with a low number of recruits and high turnover, we lack sufficient manpower. This situation has significantly impacted the company's production and business activities," said Thanh Nga.
Hwaseung Vina Co., Ltd (Nhon Trach District) has seen a surge in orders and is continuously recruiting unskilled labor. To attract workers, the company offers numerous incentives such as competitive wages, attendance bonuses, and other allowances. A company representative mentioned that while recruitment is challenging, the trend of workers quitting to withdraw social insurance in one lump sum or returning to their hometowns to start businesses exacerbates the labor shortage in their factories.
Nguyen Thi Huong, Deputy Chairwoman of the labor union at Fashion Garments 2 Co., Ltd. (Bien Hoa City), shared that the company has many orders but insufficient labor recruitment, posing difficulties for production and business operations. In recent months, the company has frequently participated in job fairs for direct interviews with job-seekers and advertised through various channels to find labor sources, but the number of applicants has been very limited.
Supply-Demand Mismatch
The abundance of orders at enterprises indicates a more vibrant labor market compared to 2023. Many companies are expanding their production and business scales, thus requiring a large workforce, with some needing to recruit 1,000-2,000 workers. This is one of the reasons for the increasing scarcity of labor. Meanwhile, unemployed workers do not meet the requirements of the businesses. Hence, the labor supply-demand relationship remains mismatched.
Some grassroots labor union officials noted that workers in various provinces and cities now have more employment options, as most localities have industrial zones and economic areas attracting business investments. Therefore, enterprises with large recruitment needs should pay more attention to favorable policies, development opportunities, and safe working environments to facilitate recruitment.
Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh, Deputy Chairman of the Nhon Trach District Labor Federation, noted that since the beginning of the year, the production situation of enterprises in the district has been very stable. Companies have orders, workers have regular overtime, and incomes are stable. Many enterprises are currently recruiting labor to recover and expand production. However, recruitment remains challenging.
"In April, the district collaborated with the Dong Nai Job Placement Center to organize a Job Fair to connect workers and businesses. Some companies managed to recruit labor but still face shortages. Therefore, there is a significant need for support from the labor sector in timely labor market forecasting and introducing unemployed workers to businesses in need," Mr. Thanh said.
Mr. Nong Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, noted that according to the Dong Nai Job Placement Center, over 2,000 businesses in the province are currently registered to recruit more than 70,000 workers. Despite the high recruitment demand, few enterprises have successfully hired workers.
Mr. Dung analyzed that the difficulty in recruiting labor is because many localities have developed industrial zones, attracting many workers to return to their hometowns for employment. Additionally, incomes that do not meet the minimum living standards lead many workers to choose to return home or take up other freelance jobs. Furthermore, many people have shifted from formal to informal employment sectors. Therefore, it will be challenging for enterprises to recruit workers without attractive wages and working conditions.
Recently, to connect labor supply and demand, the Dong Nai Job Placement Center has organized various activities to connect, inform, and advise workers on job opportunities. Besides, the center collaborates with 18 employment service centers in other provinces to exchange solutions for labor connection in the region to meet the recruitment needs of enterprises. However, according to the Dong Nai Job Placement Center, to attract workers, enterprises need to pay attention to long-term welfare policies and ensure stable wages to retain labor.