Technology creates space for new age worker

Sri Lanka’s industries face shortages in workers, a key asset and the emergence of new technology is relevant in most sectors to create a space for the new employee.

With many traditional industries like tea changing, there are serious labour shortages in sectors like construction, tourism and plantations and which have created inequalities as well, the International Labour Organisation ( ILO) Country Director Simrin Singh said at the 61st open forum session held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) on the theme of the 4th industrial revolution recently conducted by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA).

It has been observed that inequalities in jobs have arisen and in particular issues of women’s participation in the workforce; over investment in certain parts of the country like the Western Province and the south, social class and religion.

With the number of elderly likely to increase by 2040 the need for a care economy through higher end care services will create more jobs in the future, Ms. Singh explained.

Biodiversity is imperative in Sri Lanka and sustainable products make Sri Lanka stand apart, she noted.

Commenting on the female working population, she explained that despite the women in Sri Lankan society considered to be geared for housekeeping, cleaning and other related tasks, there are only about 16 per cent females in the tourism sector. This is particularly a cultural issue, it was noted.

Public sector workers were not performing well in terms of technological transformation, Ms. Singh said adding that on the contrary today digital platform workers who are people engaged in jobs made available online have also obtained union support as well.

One such example are the taxi drivers who are now unionised in a bid to obtain their demands of fair rates, insurance among other requirements as being part of a service provided online, it was noted.

Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union Convenor and General Secretary Anton Marcus addressing the forum brought to attention the fact that those bringing digital platforms should take responsibility for these as well. He highlighted growing concerns that continue to exist even in the apparel sector that has evidently been unable to attract more workers.

Dialogue, he said was required to ensure that transformation in the workplace does not leave the workers affected by the actions of the employers.

For instance in the apparel industry the concept of dancing model technology meant that workers were compelled to carry out their work standing for long periods during the day and as a result were unable to even move upon completion of their tasks.

“If there is no monitoring and if we allow this to continue then there is a danger” to the workers and Mr. Marcus noted that more workers are leaving these companies due to the use of this concept.

Another aspect that was discussed was the fact that the 4th industrial revolution was in effect a digitisation process that was meant to disrupt the industrial practices of the 3rd industrial revolution.

The new revolution has the potential to make menial tasks under a digital, automated banner, bring greater efficiency to the processes and this in effect would enhance contribution of humans, WNS Global Services Managing Director Dinesh Wickremanayake said.

The demand today is mostly for professionals in financial technology and not simply accountants, he said adding that at WNS, an outsourcing firm, last year the company downsized based on productivity.

Mr. Wickremenayake also pointed out that it was important to manage the different sectors of workers based on where they could be categorised and not simply by age as per baby boomer, generation X and millennials.

The IT/BPO sector has created jobs in Sri Lanka but this requires qualifications and about 17-22,000 locals were employed in 2017 and use the platform for selling labour living either at home or while working or studying, LirneAsia CEO Helani Galpaya said.

Some of the very low end menial jobs were in the category of ad- clicking, where people are hired to increase the hit rate on websites for which they would get paid but due to lack of awareness even after a year they may not get paid due to the fact that they are bogus sites, she explained.

Sri Lankans working for digital platforms faces issues like geographical discrimination and some have problems even with registration; digital workers are not provided loans from banks.

CEPA Senior Re s e a r ch Professional Karin Fernando said that in the apparel sector there is a difference in the migrant and non-migrant worker employed in the FTZ as the latter stay longer than the former.

The stigma of the FTZ worker and transport issues in addition to a rupture of social relations is a cause for most to drop out of the sector.