Hiring New Employees in AV Industry and Significant Challenges by Abdul Waheed, CTS, Managing Director, EYTE Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
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n recent times, every AV event I have attended has featured discussions among senior management about the critical issue of employee retention. Over the past two years, retaining talent has become an enormous challenge for companies across various industries globally, but this challenge appears to be particularly acute in the context of the Indian job market. “While there is ample evidence that this workforce discontent is a global phenomenon, the situation has further deteriorated in certain markets. In India, more than 60 percent of respondents expressed a desire to leave their current posts, well above their counterparts in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Workers in Singapore showed the second-highest level of job discontent, at 49 percent,” as reported by McKinsey & Company. On one hand, there’s a persistent narrative about unemployment issues in the country. On the other hand, companies consistently express their struggles in attracting and retaining the right talent. Is this a manpower problem, a question of candidate
employability, or a lack of adequately skilled individuals among recent college graduates? Does this issue pertain exclusively to India, or is it a concern worldwide? Furthermore, can it be attributed to the cohorts of graduates who emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic or a more extensive global crisis? Let’s delve into this multifaceted issue, attempting to understand its nuances and exploring potential solutions. Firstly, the audiovisual field is a very unique and niche field in itself. Many senior executives in this field have climbed the ladder based on their experience rather than their education. The simple reason is that there is no specific engineering stream that teaches or covers the entire audiovisual subject comprehensively. The field is mainly a blend of Electronics and Telecommunication but lacks a thorough understanding of sound, its physics, and acoustical behaviour. Moreover, the advent of AV over IP has introduced various computer signal protocols and the need to understand network protocols in the field. This unique combination has already made it challenging to directly hire engineering
graduates, and campus recruitments have become almost impossible for the AV field, making it challenging to find a talent pool. Furthermore, the recent post-Covid crisis has exacerbated the situation. One of the most significant global challenges following Covid-19 that has affected industries and their smooth operation is the uncertainty of one’s life. Employees and others have come to realise the importance of health, family, and the issue of mental health, as well as the need for a work-life balance. This has led to a re-evaluation of life and its goals. Employee priorities have shifted dramatically, and the effects of this shift became evident once the world returned to normalcy. Employees began considering self-employment, remote work, and alternative careers. Career aspirations have been pushed down to the third or fourth priority in many cases. The results of this shift have been observed in the form of what’s now known as the ‘Great Resignations,’ a global phenomenon. Industry Shift: A significant portion of employees chose to transition to different industries, leading to a substantial reshuffling effect. According to the survey, this shift is quite substantial, with 48 percent of respondents moving to new sectors, thereby creating shortages in their previous fields. Flexible Work Endeavours: Approximately 29 percent of individuals explored flexible work options, departing from traditional occupations. This encompasses a range of choices, including temporary gigs, part-time roles, freelancing in emerging technology sectors, and venturing into fresh and innovative opportunities. Life Priority Changes: For many, changes in life priorities have prompted job changes. Career aspirations have taken a backseat as
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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2023
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