SUVANNABHUMI (수완나부미)

Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies (부산외대 아세안연구원)
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Toward Post-Pandemic Sustainable FDI Workforce: An Examination of Factors Affecting the Well-Being of Migrant Workers in Ho Chi Minh City

  • Pham Thanh Thoi (Faculty of Anthropology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (USSH – VNUHCM)) ;
  • Tran Dinh Lam (Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (USSH – VNUHCM)) ;
  • Nguyen Hong Truc (Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (USSH – VNUHCM))
  • Received : 2022.09.26
  • Accepted : 2024.01.10
  • Published : 2024.01.31
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Abstract

Globalization and the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the post-pandemic context continue to play a critical role in shaping the workforce of emerging countries. In Vietnam, evidence obtained during the pandemic revealed that the well-being of employees, especially migrant workers, was extremely poor due to both work and non-work factors. This paper examines the most significant factors that impact the well-being of workers employed by various FDI companies in two Vietnamese industrial parks. The survey evidence (n=200) shows that worker well-being is influenced by seven key factors categorized in three dimensions, namely material stressors, social stressors, and human stressors. A further qualitative analysis of 60 participants provides an understanding of the ways in which each factor affects workers' well-being and how elements of well-being in the Vietnamese context are different compared with other countries. Low salaries, lack of social support, work-life imbalance due to job demands, and the interplay between these three determinants significantly affect the overall well-being of workers. In the current business climate, it is important to have well-targeted policies that encourage high-tech investments as well as persuade domestic firms to address low salaries and economic migration. To manage valuable human resources and keep competitive advantages, foreign firms need to authentically implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focusing on workers' benefits, especially providing workforce housing. This will bring about win-win outcomes of improved employee well-being and business sustainability.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We are grateful for the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City Grant and for the logistic support from the Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies (CVSEAS). We would like to thank Chau My Hang, Nguyen Huynh Duy Khang and six anthropologists for participating in collaborative research and for their critiques of this article. Helpful comments by anonymous reviewers are also gratefully acknowledged.

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