Employment is fundamental to people's well-being. For China, a country with a huge population, employment issues have long been of great concern. After the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon, the phenomenon of "labor shortage" in various places began to stand out again. As one of the traditional labor-intensive industries, the redwood industry also experienced this phenomenon. In recent years, reports about the "labor shortage in the redwood industry" have frequently appeared in the media. However, it has been found that the "labor shortage" is no longer localized, nor is it merely a shortage of labor; rather, it reflects the main contradiction within traditional industries.
In economics, there is the concept of the "Lewis Turning Point," which refers to the critical point where labor transitions from unlimited supply to shortage. Specifically, as the industry continues to develop, surplus labor will be absorbed completely. If wages are not increased, welfare benefits are not improved, and working conditions are not changed, it will be impossible to hire the required labor force. Various signs indicate that the redwood industry is currently experiencing or about to experience the "Lewis Turning Point."
According to this theory, after the "turning point" arrives, there will be a situation where jobs seek workers. If enterprises do not improve their treatment, they will find it difficult to recruit the needed employees. With the continuous development of the industry, indeed some companies have been continuously improving welfare benefits and work environments to cope with the "turning point." According to the boss of a certain brand company: "We generally rely on old employees bringing new employees for recruitment. If we improve the various conditions for old employees, when the master craftsmen return, the recruitment problem for the year is solved." However, the proportion of such companies in the industry is still small. Many companies lack the awareness to take measures to retain old employees and attract new ones, while some companies, though aware, do not have sufficient strength to implement them. This situation is concentrated among many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
It has been understood that during the recruitment process for these SMEs, the salary treatment, welfare level, and the work environment provided for workers are relatively inferior. Additionally, the continuous improvement of large enterprises makes the "disadvantages" of SMEs more evident, making the signs of the "turning point" even more prominent. In recent years, redwood industries in various places have successively risen, and the number of small and medium-sized redwood furniture enterprises has surged dramatically, accounting for a large proportion of the industry. The main contradiction determines the development of things, and the vitality of these enterprises also determines the development trend of the industry. Therefore, the "Lewis Turning Point" they encounter has become the crux of the "labor shortage" in the industry.
The development of any matter has two sides. The approach of the "Lewis Turning Point" causes the industry to face a "labor shortage," but perhaps it can also allow the industry to welcome a "rebirth." Currently, in many enterprises, both enterprises and workers are not constrained: "workers' working hours are uncertain," "factories' operating hours are uncertain," "both parties do not sign contracts." These practices are not only detrimental to protecting the rights of workers but also affect the normal operations of enterprises. Those enterprises that still expect to compress costs through cheap labor need to actively change their concepts if they do not want to be eliminated by the industry. They should increase the added value of products and enhance the core competitiveness of enterprises. When more enterprises have long-term development goals, focus on talent cultivation, corporate culture, and core competitiveness, the development of the entire industry will not only become healthier but will also provide an opportunity to form a healthy labor market system. (Source: China Classical Furniture Network, reporter Yaya)