Labor Problems in the Engineering Industry

Labor Problems in the Engineering Industry

Summary

Same as market and capital, labor is another critical factor in all industries, especially the processing and manufacturing industries. Despite the growing technology and modernization where machines have been computerized to work like men, human labor is still needed in the engineering industries. Some of the problems that are associated with labor are low production, unskilled labor, and overstaffing. The engineering industries are the most affected production industries because it requires not only a lot of work but also skilled labor.

Labor cost is a significant factor associated with labor problems in the engineering industries. Most engineering industries require a large labor force since most of the machines used need to be controlled by humans. Hiring a large number of employees requires a lot of capital; therefore, the industries should ensure that they meet this demand first before hiring more laborers. However, most engineering industries face difficulties in meeting the need for more laborers because it is a costly process.

There are instances when the industries hire enough employees, but the problem comes in when they learn that some percentage of the workers are unskilled and unable to work efficiently. The outcome for the unskilled laborer is always low production. Low production affects a more substantial part of the industry because it might experience losses that will affect the entire progress of the industry (Sharma and Gupta). Most engineering industries have tried to evade from this problem, but again the process of finding skilled laborers is very tiring, and when they are found, they have to be paid higher than other laborers. The problem is two-sided, and it can be addressed by solving the financial issues of the industry.

Opinion

Any industry that involves the production of goods requires a large labor force. In this case, engineering industries such as metal industry owe most of its success to the labor force. It is not only about labor but also skilled labor. Nonetheless, skills are costly, and in hiring employees with expertise, an industry has to spend a lot of money. A situation like this usually makes the sector hire fewer skilled employees, and this can result in low production. A thriving engineering industry has enough skilled laborers who can produce goods at a first-rate, enabling them to access the market quickly. However, this has been a tough goal to be achieved by most engineering industries.

Engineering industries require a lot of workforce because the machines used are delicate, and when messed with, they can cause a lot of destruction. To find individuals who can handle the machinery is a very tough procedure. The industry has to find those with enough experience in handling them so that they can maintain the consistency of the production. For cases where the employees are not experienced, the industry has to find time to train them employee on how to use the machines. This is another process that requires hiring tutors to train the employees. Engineering industries seem to go through a lot of challenges in ensuring that they meet the demand of their clients and customers. From my point of view, the starting of an engineering industry requires a lot of support from the government and investors from non-governmental agencies. A lot of support, in this case, I mean financial support.

Reaction

When most employers are asked what the most challenging thing to do in an industry is, their answer will always be finding the perfect kind of labor. The author argues that labor problems mostly results in overstaffing, low production, unskilled worker (Sharma and Gupta). When this problem arises, there are higher chances for the industry to experience losses or a close down since it is not able to meet its goals. Engineering industries are mainly affected because most of their industries involve the use of large plants and machinery that require professional skills to operate.

The author argues that engineering industries require a large labor force, and the cost incurred in finding this kind of labor is very high. In simple terms, the author meant that hiring employees to work in an engineering industry needs a lot of capital that will ensure that they are paid their wages. It has been difficult for the engineering industries to meet this demand making some of them close down or change into another more favorable sector. Furthermore, the author mentioned the issue of unskilled laborers. This is one of the most alarming problems in the engineering industry since it is tough to find laborers with skills. The author mentioned that there are few skilled personnel in the engineering sector, and I got to relate this with the number of students studying engineering in the universities. There are few of them, and some even drop the course when half-way claiming that it too pressurizing. I, therefore, thought this is the main reason why there are few skill employees in the engineering industries.

Importance

If the issue of labor is solved in the engineering industries, I think the level of production will increase. Therefore, these industries should come up with initiatives that will curb and reduce the issues of labor problems. The first initiative is for enterprises to come up with training programs for all unskilled employees. Instead of spending a lot of money in finding skilled employees, they should train the ones they already have and perfect their skills. Training has been termed by experts to be the best way of getting experience. Some industries buy skills, but this is not the case with the engineering industries. Training employees to use the available machinery is the best way of increasing production in an industry.

The second initiative is to make sure that they motivate the hardworking employees through allowances and increasing their salaries to encourage them to work harder. When employees are motivated, they will work harder to receive more motivation in the future, and this, in turn, increases the productivity of the industry. It is not only motivating by giving rewards and promotions but also providing a safe working environment and providing insurance to the employees. Engineering industries often involve the use of heavy machinery that when not handled carefully, they might cause harm to the employees. Therefore, if the sector can provide health insurance to the employees, it will encourage them to work harder and achieve the best for the company.

Lastly, the engineering industries should ensure that they curb the issue of overstaffing by ensuring that they hire employees with skills or have the potential to gain experience with time. Most engineering industries hire more employees with fewer skills thinking that they will increase their production. This is not the right way of increasing output because excess employees will result in overspending in paying their wages, and supervision of the employees will be a difficult task. If these initiatives are implemented, there is a guarantee of growth in the engineering industries in the future.

Works Cited

Sharma, Abhinav, and Dr. S.K Gupta,. “PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS IN ENGINEERING INDUSTRY”. International Research Journal Of Engineering And Technology (IRJET), vol 2, no. 2, 2020, p. 403., Accessed 23 Feb 2020.