"Addressing Brain Drain: Retaining Skilled Professionals in Nepal's Manufacturing Sector": An article from the perspective of Human resource management.
1. https://www.nepallivetoday.com/2023/06/15/retaining-skilled-professionals-in-nepals-manufacturing-sector/
2. The HRM Magazine
"Addressing Brain Drain: Retaining Skilled Professionals in
Nepal's Manufacturing Sector": An
article from the perspective of Human resource management.
Human
resources are the primary resources and are given the highest priority among
all resources in the manufacturing world, even before financial resources.
Since the era of industrialization, human capital has been considered crucial
and valuable assets in all industries, including manufacturing. It is believed
that every organization equally invests in developing their employees for
optimal output, making employee retention a fundamental requirement for any
institution.
In
Nepal, there are two major factors contributing to brain drain. Firstly, the
government's policies play a significant role as they engage in bilateral
labour agreements with wealthy countries, aiming for brain exchange in exchange
for remittances. Secondly, the allure of new technology, attractive lifestyles,
and improved financial prospects globally are known to attract skilled individuals.
Currently,
Nepal is facing a financial crisis that began with the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic. Initially, it affected specific groups and sectors, but
unfortunately, it gradually spread throughout the entire business community.
While we won't delve into the reasons behind the economic crisis, it is
essential to consider this when analysing our topic.
As
manufacturers, let us first examine the emigration data. According to the
Department of Immigration's 2022 records, approximately 3,000 Nepalese
individuals leave the country through Tribhuvan International Airport every
day, either as students or workers. There might not be any systematic data
available for Nepalese nationals emigrating to India.
Now,
from an HRM perspective, there is one category of students who migrate from
Nepal with a rare possibility of returning and finding suitable employment. On
the other hand, engineers, doctors, and trained professionals are migrating in
significant numbers each day, with very few actions or efforts towards their
retention.
Nepalese
manufacturers are currently facing two distinct challenges in the market.
Firstly, due to the prolonged period of low business volume, survival becomes a
struggle, resulting in constant financial limitations. Consequently, it becomes
difficult to allocate significant resources to employee motivation and
retention. In such cases, self-retention techniques should naturally come into
play, but in the context of Nepal, they are ineffective due to the overwhelming
outward flow of talent.
Why
are employees not satisfied with their current jobs? This is a crucial subject
of study. Let us discuss a few parameters, focusing on traditional topics that
require attention:
- ·
Monotonous work
- ·
Job insecurity
- ·
Demanding
workload
- ·
Poor communication
- ·
Bad relationships
with colleagues
- ·
Lack of control
over workload and schedules
- ·
Long hours and
tight deadlines
Typically,
the Human Resources department focuses on training and counselling sessions but
often fails to generate positivity within the workforce. These sessions tend to
focus more on skill development, overshadowing overall employee satisfaction
and needs analysis. This approach dominates HR activities in Nepal under the
guise of corporate culture. HR departments in organizations should be discerning
and mindful.
Here
are some additional areas to consider:
- ·
Weight of job
responsibilities
- ·
Unsafe work
conditions
Together,
as manufacturers, we need to improve workplace happiness to retain employees to
some extent.
- Manufacturer’s major mistake
One
key aspect is that most Small and Medium scale manufacturers take local
employees for granted and assume that they are satisfied with a nominal salary
simply because they have a job in their hometown and can be with their
families. However, this sentimental judgment no longer holds true. It is the
manufacturer's biggest mistake, as all efforts invested in developing unskilled
workers into skilled manpower can go to waste over time. Therefore, dealing
with employees in a professional manner becomes more significant, leading to
greater satisfaction. Offering competitive salaries plays a vital role in
employee satisfaction and presents the biggest challenge for manufacturers.
The
most significant challenges and opportunities for Nepalese manufacturers lie in
incorporating the following six elements into our organizations to improve
employee comfort:
- ·
Inclusion
- ·
Appreciation
- ·
Support
- ·
Trust
- ·
Purpose
- ·
Achievement
If
our organization genuinely focuses on these areas, positive workplace
well-being will be reflected. In the present context, recruitment and
preparation, unconscious bias in hiring, and relying solely on recommendations
or salary as the hiring criteria will not yield desired results in Nepal.
In
conclusion, let us collectively strive to develop disciplined employees, make
them accountable, and create an environment of trust and faith. Let us openly
communicate our requirements and needs, foster inclusivity in the workplace,
and allow employees to engage in non-work-related conversations from time to
time. Immediate action should be taken for staff appreciation and recognition.
A clear vision of responsibilities and tasks, along with recognition and
appreciation, can make a significant difference in employee satisfaction.
- Author /Researcher/Blogger Anil Kumar Baral
- MBA – HRM
- PhD Scholar –
- Experience: 23 years on Managerial work
- Joint treasurer: Chandragiri
Chamber of Commerce and Industries
- Co-Chief : Lions club International District
325 –P Area 1
- Vice President: Nepal’s Automobile Associations
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