Personnel shortage impedes business services

The crisis emanating from the ongoing pandemic and recent economic crisis have been all-engulfing.

The government is taking different initiatives to combat the recent economic crisis. Unfortunately though, these initiatives have so far yielded little visible results.

There are several organisations established to provide services to businesspeople under the Ministry of Industries are being operated with a seriously inadequate workforce.

Industries are incurring production losses and missing shipments due to shortage of employees. This means the manpower crunch may hit the recovery of the business sector, which accounts for the national export receipts.

A recent report published in The Business Post revealed that severe manpower crisis hampering business services.  Latest data showed more than one-third of the required manpower is vacant, according to the latest annual report of the ministry. Ministry sources said that they wish they will find a compact solution to this problem but we believe that mere wishes would not be enough to meet the target here. 

These types of situation will not be resolved unless accountability is established to ensure services in the industrial sector. The crisis is hurting the government ministries/agencies’ ability to provide crucial services to businesses during a period of economic volatility.

However, according to the Industries Ministry Annual Report, in total, 34.29 per cent or 12,120 positions in all organisations under the ministry currently remain vacant.

At present, there are 23,231 people working at the ministry and its associated organisations, while the required manpower is 35,351. At the ministry, 27 positions out of 240 are currently vacant. The number of vacancies is over 11,000 at several organisations operating under the ministry.

The lack of manpower at the organisations is already hampering services to businesses. Many are not getting services on time due to complications and complex processes.

A major cause of a manpower shortage is when employees quit at high rates while demand for workers remains high. Some of the industries that have been hardest hit by recent labour shortages include manufacturing, hospitality, food service, retail, and health care.

These include a lack of sensitivity to problems; failure to weigh long-term objectives; the lack of measures of accomplishment; rapid changes in technology, organization, and environment; the complexity of the organization; lack of effective communication; and failure to act.

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Rizwan Rahman said entrepreneurs are not getting all the necessary services for setting up new factories and operating industries. This is because of shortage of manpower.

Services the businesses are getting from the concerned organizations under industries ministry are less than 30 per cent. In some cases, services are being delayed unusually.

We believe that the necessity of forecasting and preparing for changing manpower needs is likely to become more important in the next decade; manpower management may become the ultimate factor in determining corporate competitive success.

If services are provided using an integrated and digital system, businesses will be able to avail them even without enough manpower. Authorities should take a digital approach in providing services and upskill the manpower to tackle such crises. The services of all ministry-related organisations should be ensured for the development of entrepreneurs. Skilled and trained manpower is needed to provide good service. It is not possible to provide proper service with existing manpower.

The government needs to focus on the issue. For getting the required results effective utilization of people is essential, but many obstacles stand in the way of making desired changes.

Authorities concerned must move with the times and find answers to these problems.