A two-part series focusing on ethical recruitment and how the pandemic is a good catalyst for recalibrating labor recruitment policies. Read part 1 of this series.
Many migrant workers were already on the losing end before COVID-19, but the pandemic made their situations even more precarious. Many of them were trapped overseas with no access to healthcare or basic needs. Others lost their jobs due to companies shutting down, leaving them in uncertain legal status, often with huge debts, and with dependents back home not receiving any support.
Many overseas workers who were able to stay employed reported that they had limited access to food or were forced into situations where they risked being exposed to COVID-19 on the job, with some not even getting paid at all. Many of these migrant workers, already marginalized back home, were also not aware of any assistance offered by their governments
There are many ways that the government and nongovernment organizations as well as private companies can do to protect migrant workers. As the world gradually moves toward recovery, this is a good time as any to recalibrate labor recruitment policies to ensure ethical and sustainable hiring.
Respect for human and labor rights
In June 2020, the International Labour Organization rolled out its General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment and Definition of Recruitment Fees and Related Costs (GPOG), which emphasized government responsibility in respecting human and labor rights and promoting ethical recruitment.
The GPOG also stipulated that governments take concrete steps to ensure that recruitment agencies and companies hiring migrant workers operate responsibly and perform due diligence in their recruitment procedures, in addition to having a plan in place the safe return and reintegration of migrant workers to their home country in the event of a crisis.
Here are some of the ILO’s suggestions to encourage ethical recruitment:
- Establish the groundwork for fair recruitment. This means that ethical hiring should be the guidepost at every step, from start to finish. E-recruitment systems by South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and India are good examples to ensure that applicants engage only with approved agencies. Standard employment contracts should also contain provisions for safe return, and migration strategies.
- Proper education of migrant workers. They should know where to find accurate and reliable information on COVID-19, recruitment procedures, contractual obligations, and occupational health and safety at work.
- Formulate policies that aim to protect migrant workers from abusive and fraudulent hiring. Governments should consider developing policies that will relieve overseas workers of debts incurred during recruitment and migration, or at the least ensure that recruitment fees and related costs are not shouldered by workers.
- Governments should be more aggressive in clamping down in fraudulent hiring practices. It is important to monitor deployment and review contracts thoroughly to ensure that migrant workers are properly protected.
Dismantling the old ways of hiring and introducing ethical practices is not something that will happen overnight and will require the cooperation and vigilance of all parties involved.
Wingspan is strongly supportive of the WHO’s ethical recruitment policies and advocates for socially responsible workforce solutions. We aim to promote human capital formation and equitable growth in both sending and receiving countries. The core of what we do focuses on long-term sustainability, and we make sure our recruitment and selection process stays compliant with local and international laws and regulations.