QUANG NAM – Experts have debated over whether businesses should retain all their employees by paying them minimum wages or keep only some key staff members while the Covid-19 pandemic is not yet over.
Speaking at an event held in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province on September 29 to explore the right human resource management solutions, HR managers and business leaders, mainly from hospitality establishments in Quang Nam, said that the right answer depends on the scale of business.
Phan Xuan Thanh, director of Emic Hospitality, said he has retained several employees at the company’s facilities.
Meanwhile, Huynh Thi Minh, manager of Golden Pearl Hoi An Hotel, said before the Covid-19 outbreak, the hotel had 45 staff for all functional departments but post-pandemic, the hotel was temporarily closed and the staff were also temporarily laid off.
Recently, the hotel re-opened but because it saw few guests, it only rehired at least one staff member per department such as housekeeping, the reception, and the kitchen. More employees will be asked to join work if more guests stay at the hotel, Minh added.
Vo Thanh Trung, chairman of Square Group, the investor of A O Show and Hoi An Lune Center, said every decision has its reason. Every business must come up with a proper solution with regard to personnel efficiency during the Covid-19 period, depending on its wishes.
Regarding the current tourism personnel issue in Quang Nam, Huynh Thi Minh, head of the Quang Nam Tourism Human Resources Club, quoted information from the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism saying that the total number of employees in the Quang Nam tourism industry is 18,000.
However, only 5,722 workers in the tourism industry have received unemployment insurance among the 16,000 workers in Quang Nam who applied for it due to Covid-19, according to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.
Minh said most hotels in Quang Nam have been shut since earlier this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Hotel staff members have been forced to earn a living by selling products online or street food.
“This is understandable because they need money for their daily lives while waiting for work to resume again,” said Thanh, adding, “Some hotels have reopened with a few guests. They are accepting the losses and trying to stay motivated.”
Therefore, Minh and other businesspeople at the event hoped that Quang Nam Province would act more positively and ensure safety while attracting tourists and also support workers better.
By Nhan Tam
