The Pakistani Spectator

No Doubt the private sector has worked shoulder to shoulder with the Government to create job opportunities for masses and contributing to the growth and prosperity of Pakistan.

The work force in the private sector has proved that they are far efficient and more professional in their work as their jobs are targets and task oriented. Its not like any government job where people tend to relax and do not show a great deal of enthusiasm to organize their work place. There is a reason behind it, they know once they are in to government job, the job security is much better as compared to the private sector.

Despite the charms of growth and professional corporate environment, the majority of the private sector suffers from lack of job security, benefits claims, leave en-cashment, Bonus non payments etc especially when they are leaving a company. Secondly the majority will not be having a formal appointment letter or contract in place and at time when they are asked to leave a particular company, their final accounts are often not settled and most of the times they are asked to leave on immediate notice. So its make life for a salaried person a living hell with all expenses on shoulders and suddenly no income to feed kids, pay for their schooling, pay house rent, bear medical expenses, no car and the worst part is where ever you go for a job, they will consider you a needy jobless person and pay you half of what you actually deserve.

Take an example of Textile sector especially bed linen and Garments, HR and ADMIN practices are at worst apart from few good mills. People are forced to work in a totally non professional environment as paid slaves who should be ready for humiliation of any kind starting from verbal to physical abuse. Work force is cheated and not given over time or bonuses. Labor is covered through labor law and at times if approached court for justice can get justice with the help of their Unions but the worst hit are the people from middle management who are well educated and pursue good careers. Most of the companies are owned by families, Father being CEO, Sons being directors and rest of the family members dispersed across the company to have a control. Most of the cases, supporting relatives would either be misfits or non-professionals and are very complexed and treat good professionals very harshly and being limited opportunities in Textiles with over all global economic recession, the people in the middle management have to bear every thing for the sake of retaining a job. Am not blaming the mill owners fully at times but on rare occasions, middle management employees are also at fault and are not performing as per their caliber and expectations of top management.

There is apparently no support group, specific law, or realization by government at any level that a lot of people are suffering and now preferring to go abroad to make a living. Reasons are many, to start with, its a fact that a salaried person has no resources to engage in a legal battle against these managements and above no time to divert attention other than finding a job.

Same goes for other small and medium enterprises businesses where the only purpose of business is money making and moralities and personal character and values are always considered as secondary by the management. Again not 100% of them are like this, but we have seen vast majority of them doing it.  Another area to focus is the need of having laws to protect the rights of female work force in various levels of management and also as workers as well as they comprise more than half of our population and can contribute a lot if encouraged more to work in the private sector and government sector for jobs. As currently a lot of women are not joining the jobs despite having qualification and talent cause of the lack of respect, sexual harassment, less chances of growth in a male dominated job market and above all their families not very comfortable in sending them out for obvious reasons. Women where given respect and open ground to perform and compete  equally with men, are performing very well but they still have reservation and are finding it difficult to survive. Again for them majority of the companies are not looking after their basic rights apart from the telecom, banking and educational sector.

The middle management people are making a huge contribution for the growth and development of Manufacturing and service sector at the same time and still they do not enjoy the same respect they actually deserve combined with their contracted status accepted and certain jurisdiction to be made as well on government level to protect the interests of the this ignored group of hard working people. A serious effort has to be made from all ends to high light this issue at all ends so that all the employees whether senior or middle management and even workers on daily wages are treated in a Humane manner and as part of their team and family. Similarly all the employees to work for their respective companies with great deal of devotion hard work and above all honesty as in a very competitive environment “there are no free lunches served” one has to prove from his work an organization should treasure our presence.

When private companies do not pay taxes in full and cut full tax from wages of employees, they should be in a position to look after them well, but they are not doing it. There are thousands of ways for them to save money or hide actual earning from the eyes of the revenue collection departments, why not spend some thing seriously on welfare of the people working for them. One is amazed to see the income tax returns of our politicians and industrialists and on top of that they do not pay the people what’s due to be paid either in the form of their regular income and on their final settlements when they leave companies.  We do not have the right of free association with any company if we want to switch the job cause the moment its been known to current employer he would straight away send that person home. A job switch is made when one’s talents and contributions are not acknowledged and appreciated in monetary terms as well as some degree of appreciation verbally, or through letters of appreciation and highlighting the star performers at official gatherings, these are minor things but can make a very good impact. But again we need more people now as Employers to do it more often.

This would gear the industry and service sector in a direction where the companies would see multiple growths with fully focused and dedicated people in their work force. Unfortunately the law makers are the law breakers first here, majority of the politicians are running the industry and various other mega business projects.