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Labor Ministry expects a quarter million Thais to lose jobs next year
The Ministry of Labor has forecast that over a quarter
million Thais may become unemployed next year, and has prepared measures to
cope with the situation. Permanent Secretary for Labor Jaruphong Ruengsuwan
said the ministry has begun a scheme to monitor employment and job creating
with guidelines and alarm mechanisms for workers for the year 2005.
Jaruphong said that factors have indicated that about
220,000 Thai workers under the government’s social insurance program
nationwide might be laid off, or lose their jobs in the year 2005. He said
the ministry has identified seven industries which carry a risk for many
businesses to close down, namely the food process and animal feeding
industry, the textiles and garment industry, the tourism and catering
industry, the automobile and parts industry, the electrical and electronic
industry, the wood and furniture industry, and the metal and steel industry.
Jaruphong said the ministry has looked for measures to
prevent the unemployment by offering helps to increase competitiveness of
these industries, and to provide occupational training to workers to help
them find other jobs. (TNA)
Appreciation deprivation
Is there anyone suffering from too much positive feedback?
Terry Braverman
What do employees cite as their most common grievance? Is
it lack of a better wage, promotion opportunities, more benefits, flexible
hours? Lack of appreciation is overwhelmingly the number one complaint,
according to a recent study of the American worker. Appreciation deprivation
is stifling the morale and motivation of the work force more than anything.
Why is there such a diminutive supply in today’s work environment?
Perhaps we are too caught up in the frantic pace of
deadlines, projects, and rapid changes to adequately acknowledge those
around us who contribute. We have basically forgotten the common courtesy of
expressing gratitude. Maybe there is a very competitive culture within a
company that wouldn’t dare allow such kudos for a colleague, let alone a
subordinate. Bloat someone else’s self-esteem? Never! The problem with
this mentality is an energy stagnation created by withholds, not to mention
an atmosphere of resentment and mistrust.
In a sense, the quality of appreciation has been
marginalized as an “Annual Appreciation Day” in many companies.
There’s nothing wrong with an annual bash to celebrate achievements and
unity. But imagine if you said “I love you,” to your spouse only once a
year. Ongoing relationships of any nature require more reinforcement if they
are truly valued. Appreciation day needs to be every day within a company.
This doesn’t mean managers should be merrily skipping around dispensing
plaques and awards on a daily basis. A simple note of thanks for a job well
done, a word of encouragement when someone is having a day from hell, or a
compliment of any kind will suffice nicely.
As a broader macro-strategy of embedding appreciation
into the company culture, why not start from day one, when a new person is
hired. Have them fill out a form that asks them to name their favorite
hobby, food, drink, music, cultural activity, athletic event, mode of
relaxation, etc. Now you know how to specifically reward them, instead of a
generic plaque or award. Think of the impact it could have on staff
retention.
A consistent show of appreciation to employees will do
more to maintain loyalty, morale, and productivity than any other idea. And
it doesn’t have to be showy. Each morning on your way to work, ask
yourself, “Who am I going to sincerely appreciate today?” It may be a
manager, salesperson, assistant, secretary, customer service rep, or the
custodian. Encourage others to do it. A complimentary line may just impact
the bottom line.
Terry Braverman is a Los Angeles-based author,
professional keynote speaker and seminar trainer. This article is excerpted
from his book, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Lighten Up! Go to
Terry’s web site for more about his presentations and background:
www.terrybraverman.com
Bank loans continue to grow in 3rd quarter
Lending by commercial banks continued to grow in the
third quarter of this year, driven by loans extended to business,
production, housing, wholesale and retail sectors, according to the Bank of
Thailand (BOT).
The central bank reported as of the end of September the
outstandin g loans in the banking system totaled 5.22 trillion baht,
compared with 4.98 trillion baht as of the end of the second quarter of this
year.
Of this, 4.69 trillion baht were extended by local banks
and the remaining 515.69 billion baht by foreign banks.
Loans provided for the production sector enjoyed the
highest growth, with the outstanding loans amount of 1.44 trillion baht,
followed by loans of 920.78 billion baht for transportation, retails,
vehicle repairs, purchase of personal belongings, and household products.
Consumer loans came third with the outstanding loans of
805.38 billion baht, and financing loans ranked fourth with 667.84 billion,
followed by loans for property development and services (401.16 billion),
agriculture 94.45 billion, electricity, gas, and tap water production (96.36
billion), and construction (155.09 billion).
The BOT attributed the lending growth in almost all
industrial sectors to the country’s continued economic expansion. In
particular, loans extended to the production and housing sectors had
markedly grown along with the economic growth. (TNA)
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