Job Security Worries: How Are Indian Workers Coping with Stress and Motivation?

Dear all,

A new survey report on job security has been published in today's Indian Express. It is attached to this post.

Job security and employee motivation

Job security is a foundation upon which employees' motivation rests. If employees are doubtful of the foundation itself, or if a fear of job loss lurks in the back of their minds, it could be causing them stress.

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the issue of employees' mental health. HR professionals are taking steps to improve mental well-being. In this case, the first step would be to enhance the sense of job security in employees' minds.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Given some of the posts we read here on CiteHR every day, why would we be surprised that people worry about their job security?

But not all of the blame can be attributed to poor management practices and bad bosses. The world is in a state of flux at the moment with inflation, the Ukraine war, global supply chain problems, etc., and we are not adapting fast enough to cope with this new order.

Dear Mr. Dinesh,

Yes, the role of the HR team is very crucial at this juncture. However, to instill confidence in employees regarding job security, they must first be confident in their own employment. In India, particularly in the private sector, mid-level companies often view HR as a non-revenue-generating aspect of the business or simply as overhead. Whether or not most of us agree, this is the bitter truth.

In such a scenario, during business slowdowns, when an employer plans for an overall workforce reduction, they typically initiate the process with HR. When the hiring process is put on hold, the HR executives responsible for recruitment are usually the first targets, followed by other members of the operational team. The surplus of available manpower resources in the market reinforces their decisions. Even if the HR head raises concerns, management tends to emphasize the importance of multitasking.

In conclusion, HR professionals should feel secure in their own employment before advocating job security to others.

Yes, job security and Gen Z expectations are leading to complications. I believe I may be wrong; however, with the limited experience I have, I've observed that whether it's a young boss in an old company or a young employee in a large, established company with senior leaders, the response is often the same—immediate benefits. This is causing uncertainty on both sides.

Impact of the Internet of Things (IoT)

The influence of IoT has affected almost everyone. While the time to process and utilize information remains unchanged, IoT has reduced response time and made minds less informed, as most desired information is readily available without requiring much effort or deep thinking. This has psychologically impacted many of today's youth. Information is immediate, services are immediate, and hence they desire immediate results and growth.

Please decipher the meaning of this hurriedly written response!